



Class. 

Book Jl^J^ 




COPYRIGHT DEPOSm 



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'to live in hearts we leave 
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PATPKKAHEPN DfRANDOLPh 

CELAWSON JH (01/15 

DH-DODGE 

SLHILL 

LHMITCHELL 

W-W-REED 

WffERPIS 

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J -W- DENT 

W-C-WINTEP 

CtEFERRIN 



W-P-MARKE50N E-CBRIQ65 
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W-C-DUNLAP 
M-M-M0R6AN 
CARL KPEl/Z 
jWWALKER 
EL PATTERSON 
Ki/ERT 5PAPKA 
HAVM0RRI50N 
A-L-VERTNER 
J15NYDER 



The Fourteenth Ohio 

Ncitional Gu-ard, 

The Kourth Ohio 
VoKioteer Infantry. 



COMPLETE RECORD OF THIS ORGANIZATION FROM 
ITS FOUNDATION TO THE PRESENT DAY. 



BY 



Sergt. Maj. Chas. E. Creager. 



WITH FULL ACCOUNT OF STRIKE, RIOT, AND COMPLI- 
MENTARY DUTY, AND THE CAMPAIGN IN THE 

Spanish-American War. 



A COMPLETE ROSTER OF MEMBERS AT THE TIME OF 
MUSTER OUT OF THE UNITED STATES SERVICE. 



INTUODUC'TIONS 1!Y 



The Pkesident of^ the XJ. S. 

AND 

The Governok ok Ohio. 



PRESS OF 

THE LANDON PRINTING & PUBLISHING CO., 

COLUMBUS, OHIO. 

1899. 

ILLUSTRATIONS BY BUCHER ENGRAVING CO. 



t' 



4^ 






■ 0"° 



Copyright 1899 
WALTER F. CLOWES. 



ii APH j il mb \ 









EXECUTIVE MANSION, 

WASHINGTON. 

// is a pleasure to make this a.cknol»tedgment of 
my appreciation of the ser'hices rendered by the Fourth 
Ohio 'Volunteer Infantry, in 'Porto l^co and e[se%>here, 
during the recent 'ii>ar. 

The officers and men of this regiment ha'he 
maintained the splendid reputation as set forth in the 
following record of the citizen-soldiery of Ohio. 
"Very sincerely. 



^^^^^^t-Z-^i-^ie,.^...^ /Ct^^y i«— * 




STATE OF OHIO, 
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT. 

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR. 



The record of the Fourteenth O. N. G. — Fourth 
0. V. I. is a. most admirable one, and these organi- 
zations are happily deserving the pfrpetaation the fol- 
lowing pages have given. From the time of its or- 
ganization to the day of its departure for the front, 
the Fourteenth Infantry most loyally and ably sup- 
ported the State Executive, %>ith their influence in peace 
or their valor v)hen their active services <zvere required. 
And again, •when called into the service of the Na- 
tional Government, the organization proved itself a 
most trustv)orthy representative of the State. 

My best 'wish for the regiment <zuould be that 
its future may be as bright and honorable as its past. 




Governor of Ohio. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 



EARLY HISTORY. 

Citizen Soldiery of Ohio— Ohio in War— Settlement at Mari- 
etta—Early Military Laws— Organization and R^ula- 
tions— Reorganization of 1821— Military Convention- 
Camp at Columbus— Military in Ohio in the Fifties — The 
Civil War — Fear of Invasion — The Ohio National 
Guard— The O. N. G. in the Civil War— Quick Muster 
and Equipment— The Fourth O. V. I.— Ohio National 
Guard Disbanded — Reorganization of 1876 — Labor 
Troubles— Unsettled Condition of the Country. 

CHAPTER 11. 



THE FOURTEENTH INFANTRY. 

Formation of Regiments— Meeting at State House — Captain 
Ammel's Work — Companies Formed — Adjutant Groven- 
er's Order — The Regiment Organized — First Duty in 
Columbus— Chaplain Moore Elected— Trouble in Perry 
County— The Gatling Gun— Garfield Funeral at Cleve- 
land—Colonel Freeman Re-elected — A Busy Year— Jus- 
tice at Cincinnati — The Cincinnati Riots — Colonel Free- 
man's Report — Killed and Wounded. 

CHAPTER III. 



AN EPOCH OF EXCURSIONS. 

Trouble in Hocking County — Companies K and B on Duty- 
Camp at Detroit— The Field of Gettysburg— Colonel 
Freeman's Proposition — Corporal Grisso Killed — The 
Fourteenth at Philadelphia — Inconveniences Suffered by 
Ohio's Soldiers — Columbus Armory Burned — Hospital 



coxrnxTs. 

Corps Organized— SLate Encampment at Columbus— 
Oliio's Centennial— The Fourteenth in New York— An- 
nual Encampments. 

CHAPTER IV. 



STRIKES AND RIOTS. 

Resignation of Colonel Freeman— Election of Colonel Coit— 
General Sherman's Funeral at St. Louis— Duty at Chi- 
cago—Howe on 1894— The Vv^heeling Creek Campaign- 
Causes for the Strike— Troops Called Out— Services of 
the Fourteenth— The Result— Galvin's Army— Trouble 
at Washington C. H.— Colonel Charged With Murder- 
Annual Encampments. 

CHAPTER Y. 



WAR WITH SPAIN. 

Period of Peace— Condition of Army and Navy— American 
Peace Policy— Relations Between England and Spain- 
Cessions of land from Spain to United States— Cuban 
Insurrection— The "Ten Years' War"— Second Rebel- 
lion—Daily Press Reports— Cuban and Spanish Lead- 
ers— Weyler's "Reconcentrado" Plan— General Lee's 
Report— The De Lome Affair— Destruction of the 
Maine— The Country Aroused— Cry for War— Prepara- 
tions for War— President's Proclamation— Declaration 
of War— Dewey's Victory— Ohio's Volunteers— Militia 
Assembled— The Fourteenth at the Auditorium— Camp 
Bushnell. 

CHAPTER YI. 



THE FOURTEENTH-FOURTH. 

The March to Camp Bushnell— Camp Life— Changes in 
Company Organization- Drills and Parades— Growth of 
the Camp— Change of Name— Signal Corps Dropped— 
The Regimental Band— Bad Weather— Rumors— Order 
to Leave— Parting Scenes— Camp Bushnell Left Be- 
hind—The March to the Depot— Scenes Along the 
March- At the Depot— Columbus Left Behind— Arrival 
at Chattanooga. 



C0NTF1XT8. 

CHAPTER VII. 



CAMP GEORGE H. THOMAS. 

The Ride to Chickamauga Park— From Lytle to the Camp — 
Early Experiences — The Regiment Assigned — Hard 
Tack and Bacon — A Military Training School — Facts 
About Lytle — Regimental "Canteens" — Amusement- 
Facts About the Camp — Some ot Its Advantages — Vis- 
itors from Home and from Abroad — Evening Parades — 
Cakes, Pies and Sweetmeats— Religious Services — Re- 
connoitering Expeditions — A Sham Battle — Setting up 
and Breaking Camps — Sink Details— Rumors and Or- 
ders—Good News at Last. 



CHAPTER YIIL 



TO NEWPORT NEWS. VIRGINIA. 

The March to Rossville — To Chattanooga — Delays — The 
Trip Through Kentucky — Receptions Along the Line — 
Ifp the Alleghenies — Peep at Piedmont Valley — "On to 
Richmond" — At Newport News — A "Pup Tent" Camp — 
Reception — Dynamite Guns — Company F Becomes a 
Battery — Changes of Officers — Delays and More Ru- 
mors — Transport "St. Paul" — Transferring Baggage- 
Waiting Orders— Off to Sea. 



CHAPTER IX. 



OFF TO PORTO RICO. 

Sail on Friday— The Trip Through the Harbor— The St. 
Paul — "Travel Rations" — "Prime Roast Beef" — Hard 
Tack and Coffee — Boston Baked Beans — Tomatoes — One 
Dollar Pies — Sea Sickness — Religious Services at Sea — 
Fine Weather Voyage — Warlike Preparations — At the 
Harbor of Ponce — Cruise to Arroyo — Kragg Jorgensen 
Rifles — End of the Voyage— The Landing. 



cox TENTS. 

CHAPTEK X. 



THE FOURTH UNDER FIRE. 

Arroyo — The People and Climate — First Day in Camp — 
Native Cigarettes — A Practice March — Orders from 
General Haines — Fresh Beef Issue — Accident to Colonel 
Coit — Major Speaks Takes Advance— Military Terms 
Explained — A Frenchman's Information — A Funeral 
"Procession" — The House "To the left"— Sergeant Rad- 
cliffe's Ride — Under Fire — Spanish Bullets and Spanish 
Marksmanship — Effect of Spanish Fire — Effect of 
American Fire — Line of Battle Formed— Unjust Re- 
ports — Spaniards Retreat— Capture of Guayama — The 
Flag Raising — The Spaniards Rally — Dynamite Guns in 
Action — First Night in Guayama. 



CHAPTER XI. 



THE ROAD TO CAYEY. 

'Battle" of Guayama — Comments on the Capture— Effect of 
This Duty Upon the Regiment — General Haines and the 
Fourth Ohio — Restlessness in the City— Reconnoiter of 
the Road — Spanish Camp Located— Orders for Second 
Reconnoiter — A False Alarm — A Break for Guayama — 
Stories of Ambush— Their Effect— Excitement at Head- 
quarters — Regiment Made a Rescuing Party— American 
versus Spaniard — Dynamite Guns in Action — A Make- 
Shift Caisson — Barrio De Las Palmas— Other Expe- 
ditions. 

CHAPTER XII. 



ONE WEEK OF REST. 

The Fourth Appreciated by People at Guayama — A General 
Cleaning Up — Beautiful Scenery — Early Impression of 
Porto Rico — Commissaiy Condition — Fresh Meat at the 
Outposts— The V/ater Supply— Horses and Reinforce- 
ments Arrive — Hospital Established — Rumors Again — 
Preparations for Advance — Final Orders Issued— Death, 
of Sam Hill. 



CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER XIII. 



BEGINNING OF THE END. 

Imposing Scenes— Breakfast in the Rain— Expedition As- 
signed to Fourth Ohio— March Begun— Guide "Backs 
Out"— Plan of Operations— A Rocky Road — A Hot 
Day — Danger in Straggling — Lunch and a Short Rest — 
End of the March— Hostilities Suspended— Retraced 
Steps — Friday and the Thirteenth — Intense Suffering — 
Temporary Camp — Hospital Call— Permanent Camp. 

CHAPTER XIV. 



IN CAMP AT GUAYAMA. 

Miserable Location — Causes of Dissatisfaction — Health of 
the Men — Desire to Return Home — Sickness — Condition 
at Hospital — Changes in Commanders — Market — Finan- 
cial Condition of Men — The Paymaster — Better Times — 
Visit of Mr. Klotts— Orders to Move — Brigade Dis- 
banded. 

CHAPTER XV. 



FROM GUAYAMA TO SAN JUAN. 

Regiment Leaves Guayama Camp — "The Girl I Left Behind 
Me" — Marching Through Rain — Road to Cayey — A 
Terrible March — Arrived at Cayey — Further Detach- 
ments — Flag Raising — March to Caguas — Duty There — 
Flags Raised — March to Rio Piedros — Arrival at San 
Juan. 

CHAPTER XVI. 



THE HOSPITAL CORPS. 

The Corps in the Fourteenth — Its Organization and Effi- 
ciency — Its Effect on Enlistment — Refused Admittance 
as a Body Into the U. S. Service — Members Enlist in 
Companies — Details at Camp Thomas — Reserve Ambu- 



CONTENTS. 

lance Corps — Detachments From the Regiment — Orders 
for Porto Rico — Reunited on Massachusetts — Again 
Separated in Porto Rico — Sent to San Juan — Home 
With the Regiment — Stragglers Arrive. 



CHAPTER XVn. 



ARMY OF OCCUPATION. 

What General Brooke Said of the Fourth Ohio — D Company 
to Humacao — A Forty Miles' March — M Company by 
Sea to Vieques — Duty at Fajardo — Trouble at Carolina — 
Beautiful Country at Aibonito — An Officer Assaulted. 
at Cayey — B Company at Rio Piedras — Record of 
Events in the Companies Which Americanized the 
Eastern Third of Porto Rico. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



HOME AGAIN. 

Orders to Leave — Preparation — Arrival of Forty-seventh 
New York— U. S. S. S. Chester at Arroyo— At San 
Juan — Leaving the Island — Advantages and Disad- 
vantages of the Chester — The Homeward Voyage — 
Death of Private Vertner — Arrival at New York — 
Jersey City — Received by the President — To Colum- 
bus — Reception — Furlough — Assembly — Accident at 
Auditorium — Muster Out — Concluding Remarks. 



The Fourteenth O. N. G.— The 
Fourth O. V. I. 



CHAPTER I. 



EARLY HISTORY. 

Citizen Soldiery of Ohio — Ohio in War— Settlement at Mari- 
etta — Early Military Laws— Organization and Regula- 
tions—Reorganization of 1821— Military Convention- 
Camp at Columbus— Military in Ohio in the Fifties — The 
Civil War — Fear of Invasion — The Ohio National 
Guard— The O. N. G. in the Civil War— Quick Muster 
and Equipment— The Fourth 0. V. I.— Ohio National 
Guard Disbanded — Reorganization of 1876 — Labor 
Troubles — Unsettled Condition of the Country. 

The military spirit of the citizens of the State 
of Ohio, the valor of the soldiery made up of the sons 
of the Buckeye state both at home and abroad, have 
excited favorable coimuent from those who have 
watched the achievements of Ohioans in every other 
state in the Union. From the fierce struggle for su- 
premacy with the Indians in the Ohio valley while the 
territory now occupied by the state was an unbroken 
wilderness, to the present time, the people on the right 
bank of the picturesque Ohio have been noted for 
their integrity as citizens and their braver}^ as soldiers. 

When the colonial government in the early days 
of our history needed assistance in the battles with 
the French and Indians, companies of hardy settlers- 



14 TEE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

shouldered their flint-locks, hastened to the scene of 
hostilities and upon them was always thrown the brunt 
of the battle. When the struggle for American in- 
dependence was begun, even though the safety of their 
own homes was in peril, the American forces were 
streng-thened by the brave Ohio Valley volunteers. 
They were trained riflemen, invincible as the rocks 
over which rolled the mighty river which separated 
them from the east, and they were born soldiers. 
They were accustomed to all the hardships attending 
the life of a soldier, and ever ready to respond to a 
cause which needed their support ; they have in every 
struggle in which the country has been involved, done 
their duty and done it well. 

There has never been a war in the history of the 
nation wherein the Ohio valley did not furnish her 
full share of soldiers. On the great roll of honor of 
the nation, the names of Ohio's sons appear as the 
greatest leaders, the firmest supporters of the general 
government and the freest to make any sacrifice re- 
quired to hasten a desired end. 

In the piping times of peace, her fertile valleys 
have yielded immense quantities of provisions for her 
own citizens as well as for those who were less fortu- 
nately situated, and by the good management and 
frugal habits of her citizens she has become one of the 
most prosperous states in the Union. 

The first permanent white settlement made with- 
in the present limits of the state was made at Marietta 
in the year 1788, and in that year provisions 
were made by the territorial judges "for the best pro- 



TEE FOURTEENTH, O. N. G. 15 

tection of the territory." All male citizens between 
the ages of sixteen and fifty were compelled to perform 
military duty. The first general assembly under the 
Constitution of Oliio did not meet until March 1, 1803, 
£ind in the following December the first state military 
law was passed. This law provided that all free 
white male citizens^ with a few defined exceptions, 
between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, and all 
emigrants within the age limit, and within twenty 
days after residence, were compelled to perform mili- 
tary duty. 

Each enrolled militiaman was required to provide 
himself at his own expense with a good musket or 
fusee, a sufficient bayonet and belt, a knapsack and 
two spare flints, a pouch with a box therein to con- 
tain not less than twenty-four cartridges, "suited to 
the bore of his musket or fusee," or a good rifle with 
])owder; each officer to be armed with a sword or 
hanger and spontoon. 

The militia of the state was organized into di- 
visions, brigades, regiments, battalions and companies, 
with the following officers: To each division a major 
general, to each brigade a brigadier general, to each 
regiment a lieutenant colonel commandant, to each 
battalion a major, to each company a captain, a lieu- 
tenant, an ensign, fonr sergeants, four corporals, one 
drummer and one fifer. 

Major generals were to be held accountable that 
companies be organized prorata in the towns within the 
districts comprised in the brigade. All officers, ex- 
cept major generals, were elected. To each brigade 



16 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

was to be attached a company of artillery and a troop of 
horse, when, in the opinion of the brigadier general, 
the companies, or either of them, could be raised and 
equipped witJiin his brigade. 

The tactics adopted were ''Baron Steuben's In- 
structions" and the Articles of War numbered 26. 

These laws were changed very little until 1821, 
when the strength of Ohio's military power was 
85,000. A reorganization was then effected, but the 
general plan remained unchanged. It was about this 
time that the militar)- spirit of central Ohio began to 
assert itself and that section of the state has ever 
since led all the militarv' movements of the day. 

From that time on the military laws of the state 
were changed to meet the exigencies of circumstances 
as they arose, it was supposed, but to the present idea, 
the changes were oftentimes decidedly for the worse. 
On February 2, 1854, there was a great military con- 
vention in Columbus, assembled for the purpose of 
arranging from the entanglement of laws which the 
early legislatures had managed to impose, a military 
code which could be at least understood by the com- 
manding officers and to plac« the military of the state 
on a firmer footing. 

This convention was held in Neil's New Hall, 
afterwards the famous Neil House, of Columbus, for 
many years the political Mecca of the state. One of 
the leading figures in that convention was Captain 
Stedman, aftenvards colonel of the Fourteenth regi- 
ment in the Civil war and who since became "General" 
Stedman. It seem.s that this couAcntion was by no 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 17 

means barren of results, for, a year later, there began 
a revival of the military spirit of the state, and or- 
ganizations of a military nature sprang up in all of the 
leading counties. On July 4, 1855, a few months 
more than a year after the great military convention, 
the State Fencibles, which afterwards became one of 
the best kno^vn military bodies of the state, was or- 
ganized, and in 1857 the Columbus Vedettes was 
organized. 

The spirit seems to have taken firm root, for in 
the year 1858, at a camp near Columbus, where the 
Hawk hospital now stands, the following organiza- 
tions turned out for muster: State Fencibles, Co- 
lumbus Vedettes, Steuben Guards, Montgomery 
Guards and Captain Ijam's Battery of Artillery. 

Miltary companies continued to organize, and 
then came that period in the history of the country 
known as the Civil war. The two sections of the na- 
tion were marshalled against each other and every 
resource of either division was tried to its utmost in 
the struggle for the preservation of the I'nion on the 
one side and for its destruction on the other. It was 
here that the value of the training which the various 
military companies had been able to impart, began 
to show. Volunteers flocked to the recruiting sta- 
tions in response to the call by the president, and 
thousands of Ohio boys put on the blue and went to 
the defense of the starry banner, led to victory by 
officers who had learned something of the art of war in 
the organizations which the scoffer had before pro- 
nounced fit for ornament and parade rather than for 
usefulness. 



18 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

The Ohio National Guard, as such, was never 
heard of until in 1863, the legislature of that winter, 
in its effort to assist the national government in the 
mightv struggle then waging, having passed a law 
repealing the unintelligent mass of rules and regula- 
tions governing the state military and establishing an 
entirely new insitution. The idea, then a new one, 
was favorably received all over the state, and as the 
fear that the state would be invaded by Southern 
raiders became more general, the I^Tational Gruard 
was soon recruited to a strength which could have de- 
fended the state against a larger army than it was 
possible for Confederate leaders at that time to 
command. 

Still the true worth of the organization was not 
known until the following year, 1864, when on April 
25 governor Brough, mthout the ceremony of calling 
for volunteers, offering bounties or leaves of absence 
from the National Guard seiwice, or pro^dding for 
any other delav. ordered the entire National Guard 
of Ohio to assemble at their respective annories for 
the purj30se of being mustered into the volunteer ser- 
vice of the United States. There was no choice left 
to the officers or members, so the order was promptly 
obeyed, and on Monday, May 2, the entire military 
strength of the state was assembled, ready for muster. 
On the following Thursday, eleven days after the first 
order had been promulgated. Captain Innis was on his 
way to Virginia with a large body of troops from Ohio, 
mustered and fully equipped for immediate service. 

Central Ohio had already sent out the gallant 
Frairth Ohio, but seven davs after the oricinal call 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 19 

from Governor Brough, Franklin county alone had 
contributed the 133rd E«giment of Volunteer In- 
fantry, and a better regiment never did service. 

The state troops were all ordered to Columbus in 
Yery disagreeable weather and all the work of ex- 
amination and muster had to be performed under the 
most trying circionstances, but in just sixteen days 
Governor Brough telegraphed the adjutant general 
of the army that he had in the field at Baltimore, 
Cumberland, Washington, Parkersburg, Harper's 
Terry and other places, forty full regiments and one 
battalion of seven companies of infantry. This was 
a mighty army in itself, and it had been formed ex- 
clusively from the Ohio National Guard. 

Valuable as had been the National Guard dur- 
ing the war, the close of that struggle brought with 
it the close of the existence of the O. N. G. The 
legislature in 1865, anticipating a permanent cessa- 
tion of hostilities of all kinds, had ordered the militia 
disbanded, and as the people themselves had had 
enough of war and of matters pertaining to the mili- 
tary in general, the action of the legislature was gen- 
erally approved. 

The cloud of Civil war was followed by a dozen 
years of peace and quiet, undisturbed until the year 
1876, when the nation was in the midst of the cele- 
bration of her one hundredth birthday anniversary at 
Philadelphia. Serious trouble had arisen with the 
Indians in the West and the attention of almost the 
entire regular army was attracted for a time to the 
Indian reservations. Followine" the Centennial eele- 



20 THE FOURTEENTH, O. N. G. 

bration, the coimtry passed througii one of the most 
serious labor disturbances of its history. Of these 
ti-oubles Dr. John Clarke Ridpath, the historian, has 
the following to say : 

''In the summer of 1877 occurred the great labor 
disturbance known as the 'Railroad Strike.' For 
several years the mining districts of the country had 
been vexed with disputes and outbreaks, having their 
origin in the question of wages. The manufacturing 
towns and cities had witnessed similar troubles and the 
great corporations having control of the lines of travel 
and commerce were frequently brought to a standstill 
by the determined opposition of their employes. The 
workingmen and the capitalists of the countrj^ had for 
some time maintained towards each other a kind of 
armed neutrality, alike hurtful to the interests of both. 
In the spring of this year the managers of the gTeat 
railways leading from the seaboard to the West, de- 
clared a reduction of ten per cent, in the wages of their 
workmen. This measure, which was to take effect at 
the middle of July, was violently resisted by the em- 
ployes of the companies and the most active steps taken 
to prevent its success. The workmen of the various 
roads entered into combinations and the officers stood 
■firm. On the 16th of July the employes of the Balti- 
more and Ohio railroad left their posts and gathered 
such strength in Baltimore and at Martinsburg, W. 
Va., as to prevent the running of trains and set the 
authorities at defiance. * * * * 

"In less than a week the trains had been stopped 
on all the important roads between the Hnrlson and 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 21 

the Mississippi. Except in the cotton-growing states 
the insun-ection was universal. I'ravel ceased, 
freights perished euroute, business was paralyzed. In 
Pittsbiu'g the strikers, rioters and dangerous classes, 
gathering in a mob to the number of twenty thousand, 
obtained complete control of the city and for two days 
held a reign of terror unparalelled in the history of 
the country. The lawless violence and madness of the 
scene recalled the firey days of the French Kevolu- 
tion. * * * * ' 

''The insurrection was finally suppressed by the 
regular troops and the militia of Pennsylvania, but not 
until nearly a hundred lives had been lost and prop- 
erty destroyed to the value of more than three million 
dollars." 

Similar, but perhaps less terrible riots occurred 
about the same time in Chicago, St. Louis and San 
Francisc-o, and for a time all the great cities of the 
country were in immient danger. Cincinnati, Co- 
lumbus and Cleveland did not entirely escape, but the 
loss to either life or property was slight as compared 
to that at Pittsburg. The labor troubles subsided 
within a month, but at the close of that difiiculty the 
Indians again became troublesome and the attention of 
the military was again attracted to the West. 

The young men of Ohio fully appreciated the 
seriousness of the general situation, and the question 
began to be asked, "What if Ohio were confronted 
with such problems of her own?" The necessitv of 
a reorganization of the ISTational Guard was at once 
apparent to that class of young men which would 



22 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. A. G. 

natui'ally become the rank and file of the organization, 
and to the legislature. The result was that the gen- 
eral assembly of the state authorized the re-establish- 
ment of the state militia, and they also provided for the 
organization into regiments. The work was soon 
placed in the hands of competent officers and soon 
after the passage of the law the Ohio National Guard 
was again standing on a firm footing. 

It was the possibility of a something not expected 
yet a something feared, however, that gave to the 
people of Columbus and surrounding towns a feeling 
of unrest. Labor agitators were at work all over the 
country doing their best to renew the troubles of '76 
and '77, and as the manufacturing interests and other 
enterprises calling for the employment of many men 
were rapidly growing, it was thought the wiser plan to 
provide for a possible emergency. 

There were companies of infantry thoroughly 
organized and well drilled, and one by one these com- 
panies were united into regiments, and with little 
trouble the militar}^ strength of the state was again 
available for dutv. 




GEORGE D. FREEMAN. 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 23 



CHAPTER II. 



THE FOURTEENTH INFANTRY. 

Formation of Regiments — Meeting at State House — Captain 
Ammel's Work — Companies Formed — Adjutant Groven- 
er's Order— The Regiment Organized — First Duty in 
Columbus— Chaplain Moore Elected— Trouble in Perry 
County— The Gatling Gun— Garfield Funeral at Cleve- 
land^Colonel Freeman Re-elected — A Busy Year — Jus- 
tice at Cincinnati— The Cincinnati Riots — Colonel Free- 
man's Report— Killed and Wounded. 

Central Ohio was as mucli in need of a regiment 
of militia as any other section of the state, and in point 
of military companies and the enthusiasm of the people 
in military- matters, this part of the state excelled, but 
the companies having been organized more for social 
than public benefit, they were slow in uniting with 
a state institution, making more exacting, but more 
uncert^iin the duty they loved to perform. 

The iiuestion increased in seriousness. Accord- 
ingly, in the winter of 1876, a number of Columbus 
gentlemen met at the office of the adjutant general of 
the state and discussed the organization of a company 
or com]ianies of militia in the central part of the state. 
It was decided that something should be done in the 
matter at once and the governor promptly appointed 
Captain Charles Ammel to organize what was to be 
known as the Fourteenth Regiment of Infantry, Ohio 
National Guards. 

Captain Ammel at once set to work at this task 
and in the following March Company A was made the 



24 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

nucleus of the new regiment, with Captain Amniel as 
its commander. A little later Company B, with Cap- 
tain Henry Seibert, was mustered in, immediately fol- 
lowed by D Company at West Jefferson, with Cap- 
tain Eugene Babb in command. Company E was 
next organized at Marysville, with Captain William 
L. Curry at its head, and then Captain John Chapin 
with Company F at Columbus. Company G came 
next, in command of Captain John P. Slemmous, at 
Richwood, and then Company C was organized at 
Westerville, Captain Isaac jS[. Custer. 

The following order then completed the organ- 
ization : 

October 20, 1877. 
Special Order 216: 

I. The following companies of infantry will 
constitute the Fourteenth Regiment of Infantry. Ohio 
National Guard: Captain Charles S. Aramel's Com- 
pany, of Columbus, Cranpany A; Thurman Light 
Guards, Company B ; Captain Isaac jST. Custer's Com- 
pany, of Westerville, Company C; Darby Videttes, 
Company D; Captain William L. Curry's Company, 
of Marysville, Company E; Converse Guards, Com- 
pany F ; Grosvenor Rifles, Company G. 

II. The several companies composing said Four- 
teenth Regiment are hereby directed to select dele- 
gates to put in nomination candidates for colonel, lieu- 
tenant colonel and major of said regiment. The se- 
lected delegates are hereby ordered to assemble at the 
Armory of Ohio jSTational Guard, in the city of Co- 
lumbus, on the twenty-seventh day of October, A. D. 
1 877, at such hour as may be most convenient. 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 25 

ill. The several companies composing said regi- 
ment and the delegates to nominate candidates are 
hereby directed to be governed in all their proceedings 
by paragraphs 35, 36 and 37 of the Code of Regula- 
tions for the Ohio National Guard. 

BAN. A. GROSVENOR, 
Assistant Adjutant General. 

The first election of regimental officers, held Oc- 
tober 27, 1877, resulted as follows: Henry Hein- 
miller, colonel; William L. Curry, lieutenant colonel; 
John W. Chapin, major. Commissions were made 
to date from October 3, 1877, but owing to his onerous 
duties as superintendent of the fire department of 
Columbus, Colonel Heinmiller refused to qualify. 
Another election for choice of colonel was conse- 
quently held, which resulted in the choice of George 
D. Freeman as colonel of the new regiment. His 
commission was to date from December 29, 1877. 

Two elections were necessary for the selection of 
the first colonel of the regiment. The candidates, 
Colonel Freeman and Isaac IsT. Potter, had fought a 
hard fight and fraud was charged against Colonel 
Freeman and his friends. The result was very close 
but the second election gave Colonel Freeman a hand- 
some majority over his opponent, and all parties were 
satisfied. 

The first regimental order was issued from 
Colonel Curry's headquarters at Marysville, and an- 
ticipated participation in the inaugural parade of 



26 THE FOURTEENTH, O. N. G. 

Governor Bishop. This occui'red on Janury 14, and 
was the first occasion on which the regiment made 
an official appearance. 

The first actual duty performed by the regiment 
was at the time of the railroad riots of 1877, when A 
Company was ordered to duty at the State Capitol and 
B Company at Newark. Out of the enlistment of 
only fifty-three men, fifty-one responded promptly for 
duty. Certainly this response bears out all that was 
said of the Ohio soldieiy at the beginning of this 
chapter, and certainly this was a noble example to 
set for an Ohio military organization to follow. 

Shortly after this, two more companies were added 
to the regiment. They were Company H, at Canal 
Winchester, with Captain Philip Game in command, 
and Company I, at Plain City, under Captain J. Q. 
Converse. Shortly after this General Karr, on be- 
half of its lady friends, presented to the regiment its 
first stand of colors. These colors were carried on the 
day of the first parade, January 14. This was a 
most handsome present, and it was valued at $300. 
T^nfortunately, this beautiful standard was bunied in 
1888, when the Columbus Armory was destroyed 
by fire. 

The first encampment of the regiment was also 
held in this year at Marysville. The men were al- 
lowed one dollar per day by the state for their time 
and all the expense of the encampment had to be 
borne by the soldiers themselves. 

In the spring of 1878 there was a large number 
of incendiary fires in the city of Columbus. Houses 



THE FOURTEENTH, O. N. G. 27 

and factories were rutlilessly burned for no reason 
which any one was able to understand, and while the 
city authorities were considering what to do, Colonel 
Freeman generously offered the services of his regi- 
ment. The offer was accepted and the whole city was 
thoroughly patroled. The result was, that after a 
service of this kind lasting for ten days, the incen- 
diarism was permanently stopped. 

In this year Company K, of Delaware, Captain 
F. M. Joy, came into the regiment, and a short time 
afterwards Rev. W. E. Moore, of Columbus, was made 
chaplain of the regiment. Chaplain Moore remained 
with the regiment in this capacity until April, 1898, 
when, on account of declining years, he thought best 
to retire from active military service. In his resigna- 
tion the regiment suffered a great loss and they felt 
it keenly. 

Company I, of the Twelfth Regiment, was this 
year transferred to the Fourteenth and given the let- 
ter E. This company was stationed at Mt. Gilead. 
The annual encampment for this year was held at 
Delaware and later the Columbus and other companies 
turned out to receive General Grant on his return 
from his tour around the world. 

A pleasing event in the history of the regiment 
occurred at the beginning of the year 1880, when the 
Columbus Battalion, on the day of the inauguration 
of Governor Foster, entertained the retiring Governor 
Bishop and the new governor as guests of honor and 
the visiting military organizations. The dinner was 
given at the Armory on East Town street, and will 



28 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

always be remembered by those who were permitted to 
be present. On August 4 the annual encampment 
was held at Prospect Park, near Niagara Falls, N. Y. 
In September of 1880 the miners of Perry- 
county created another disturbance and Colonel Free- 
man, placing himself at the head of Companies A, B 
and F hastened to the scene of the trouble. The 
situation was critical, the trouble having arisen 
through the employment by coal companies of a num- 
ber of colored miners. This enraged the white miners, 
who had arranged a plot to get all the negroes on the 
inside of the mine, then set fire to the entrance and kill 
the fleeing negToes as fast as they came out of the 
burning mine. 

The strikere tapped telegraph wires, thus keeping 
fully informed as to what was going on at the capital, 
and they were rapidly preparing to meet the militia. 
They learned that the Fourteenth would have a 
Gatling gim in their possession, but they were ig- 
norant as to what that weapon resembled in appearance 
or as to what it was capable of accomplishing. A 
citizen of Columbus who had formerly been a member 
of the militia, and who entertained gTeat fears lest a 
clash between the miners and the soldiers would re- 
sult in the loss of many lives, proceeded to tell the 
congregated strikers what the Gatling gun could do. 
Of course he exaggerated as much as he could safely 
do, but his tales of marvelous destructive powers had 
the desired effect. 

When the Fourteenth arrived on the scene, the 
Gatling gun was in a box car, the murderous-looking 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 29 

barrel extending from the door of the car and a reso- 
lute squad of men ready to operate it at a moment's 
notice. The very sight of this gun and the men who, 
by their looks, showed that they had come to perform 
the duty of soldiers, had the effect of sending the 
men peaceably to their homes, and the danger of an 
outbreak was averted. 

In 1881 the regiment encamped near Sandusky. 
During that year, also, the regiment won another vic- 
tory over the other regiments in the National Guard as 
to appearance and discipline. The occasion was the 
ceremony at Cleveland, in honor of the murdered 
President Garfield. When it had been determined 
that the governor and his official staff would attend 
the Cleveland services, Colonel Freeman tendered sev- 
eral companies of the Fourteenth as an escort. The 
offer was accepted and the colonel at once set to work 
getting ready his ''several companies." The result 
was, of course, that the whole regiment assembled, 
prepared to go to Cleveland. As soon as the other 
regimental commandei^s had learned what Colonel 
Freeman had done, they all hastened tO' tender the 
services of their regiments also. The result was thac 
practically the whole of the National Guard was rep- 
resented at the funeral ceremony. 

There was at that time considerable jealousy ex- 
isting against the Fourteenth, and a great deal of this 
was at Cleveland. Colonel Freeman decided to 
either overcome this feeling or give the enemies of the 
regiment a reason for feeling- as they did. The men 
were all ordered to wear white collars, black their 



30 TEE FOURTEENTE, 0. A". G. 

shoes and make every arrangement for appearing at 
their best. In addition to this each man was given a 
red blanket cover, so that when these were strapped 
across the backs of the men the appearance denoted 
that the blankets were alike. 

The men looked their best, and on the entrance 
to the town, instead of leaving the depot and making 
a great display on their fii-st appearance in the city. 
Colonel Freeman left the train at a point where he 
could follow a course around the depot and pass the 
reviewing stand over a descending street, thus showing 
to a better advantage the discipline and drill of tKe 
men. A number of regular army officers witnessed 
this movement, among them General Schoffield, and as 
soon as the rear of the column had passed, there was 
a grand round of applause. When Colonel Freeman 
reported for duty, he was assigned by the general in 
charge to the post of honor at the cemetery. The 
jealoaisies of the other regiments were by no means 
remoyed at Cleyeland, but there was certainly a greater 
admiration for the Fourteenth inspired by its fine ap- 
pearance and the willing-ness with which they per- 
formed the duty assigned them made a warm place for 
them in the hearts of the army officers. 

The following year Lieutenant Colonel Curry re- 
signed and his place was filled by the election of Cap- 
tain William M. Liggett, of D Company, Marysville. 
Major John W. Chapin also resigned during the year 
and he was succeeded by Captain Andrew Schwarz, of 
B Company. The regimental camp this year was at 
Belle Tsle. 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 31 

The term of office of Colonel Freeman expired 
during the following year, 1883, and a convention 
was called to place candidates in nomination for elec- 
tion to succeed him. The convention was called to 
order in Columbus, but after a very brief session, it 
was unanimously decided to renominate Colonel Free- 
man by acclamation. The nomination was enthusi- 
astically received by the companies, and Colonel 
Freeman was duly elected. The annual encampment 
was held that year at Cuyahoga Falls. 

The year of 1884 w-as the most eventful so far 
as the importance of the service of the regiment is 
concerned that had yet passed over the Fourteenth. In 
that year its members tasted warfare in all its frightful 
phases; witnessed scenes of bloody carnage even on 
the soil of their native state; suffered from fatigue, 
privation and danger, and one brave lad gave up his 
life for the safety of his neighbors. 

For several years preceding the one of which we 
■wTite, the police department at Cincinnati was man- 
aged in a manner very unsatisfactory to a large portion 
of Cincinnati's population. Several heinous crimes 
had been committed, but the offenders were permitted 
to plead to light charges, or, if found guilty, sentences 
imposed were lighter, according to the judgment of 
many of the people, than the circumstances seemed to 
justify. Matters grew from bad to woi"se until a 
prominent citizen was murdered. One of the mur- 
derers told the story of the crime, admitted his guilt 
and was sentenced to serve twenty years in the Ohio 
penitentiary. 



32 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

It has since developed that the young man, 
"Billy" Bemer, had received a sentence as heavy as 
he really deserved, and before his penitentiary sentence 
had expired many prominent citizens signed petitions 
to the board of prison managers asking that he be re- 
leased. He was accordingly paroled and left the 
prison a quiet, peaceful citizen. 

There was a strong sentiment against Berner in 
Cincinnati at the time of the trial, however, and re- 
membering the cases which had preceded his, a large 
niunber of citizens united to take the law in their own 
hands. The sheriff of Hamilton county was unable 
to protect public property and he appealed to Governor 
Hoadley for military help. The First Kegiment, 
most of which was stationed in Cincinnati, failed to 
suppress the trouble, and tlie Fourteenth was ordered 
to the scene. How well they performed their duty 
may be seen in the report of Colonel Freeman which, 
condensed, is as follows: 

Headquarters Fourteenth Regiment, O. N. G., 

Columbus, Ohio, April 7, 1884. 
Hon. George Hoadley, Governor and Commander-in-Chief: 

"Sir — In obedience to orders received at 12:30 
noon, on March 29, 1 caused the riot alarm to be sound- 
ed in Columbus, and immediately telephoned to Com- 
pany C, Westerville; Company D, Marysville; Com- 
pany H, Canal Winchester, and Company K, Dela- 
ware, to assemble and to take the first train to Colum- 
bus, equipped for duty. The field and staff, with the 
several Columbus companies, Company A under Capt. 
Pugh; Company B, Captain Coit; Company F, Cap- 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 33 

tain Slack; Governor's Guard, unattaclied, Lieutenant 
Sheppard, and Duffy Guard, Company B of the Ninth 
Battalion, Captain Payne, reported at 2 P. M. ready 
for marching orders. I directed them to await orders. 
At 4 P. M. the command marched to the depot, where 
Lieutenant Colonel Ligget reported with Company C, 
Captain Custer; Company D, Captain Sellers; Com- 
pany H, Captain Speaks, and Company K, Captain 
Brown. 

"On receipt of written orders, accompanied by 
Colonel Church of your staff, we left for Cincinnati. 
At Xenia coffee and sandwiches were served to the 
command. At Corwin, Company F, Thirteenth Regi- 
ment, Captain Kearney, reported; at Loveland, Com- 
pany B, Thirteenth Regiment, Captain Brock, re- 
ported. Here our first orders from Cincinnati were re- 
ceived, bearing inforaiation that the Court House was 
fired in the Treasurer's office and that Captain Des- 
mond of the First Regiment had been killed by the 
mob. 

"On arriving at Cincinnati depot, we were met 
by Colonel Ryan and a deputy sheriff, with written 
orders from Colonel Hawkins, sheriff of Hamilton 
county, to report at once at the county jail. 

"Twenty rounds of ball cartridges having been 
issued to each man, special orders were given to be 
cool and especially careful not to fire unless absolutely 
necessary, and then only on command. Under escort 
of the deputy sheriff and General Ryan, we marched 
to the jail. 

"We were not molested en route, further than by 
the throwing of stones and firing of revolvers in the 



34 TEE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

vicinity of the rear guard, with plenty of swearing and 
abuse from the bystanders. Sheriff Hawkins directed 
me to place the battery g-un with support, at the barri- 
cade on Court street in front of the jail, and to clear 
Main street of the mob. To support the battery gun, 
I detailed Companies H, K and I, then directed 
Colonel Liggett to take Companies A, F, D and C, 
climb the north barricade and march to Main and drive 
the mob from that part of Main street between North 
Court street and canal bridge, and hold the position. 
I also directed Major Schwarz with Companies B of 
the Fourteenth, B and F of the Thirteenth, B of the 
Ninth Battalion and the Governor's Guards, to clear 
Main street from that point to Court street and hold 
the position. On reaching Main street. Colonel Lig- 
gett ordered Company A, supported by Company D, 
to move forward and press the mob north over the 
canal bridge ; this was done at the point of the bayonet. 
I also directed Companies F and C to hold the mob in 
front of the Court House in check. As soon as Com- 
panies A and D had completed the task assigned them, 
they with a detail from Company C, utilized a lot of 
salt, in barrels, to build a barricade across Main street 
at the bridge. Major Schwarz marched to Main street 
and ordered Company B, Fourteenth, to South Court 
street to clear the street and hold the position ; at the 
same time ordering Companies B and F, Thirteenth 
Regiment, and Company B, Ninth Battalion, to form 
across Main street and hold the crowd from getting 
in the rear of his other detachment. Company B, of 
the Fourteenth pushed forward, driving the crowd 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 35 

from them at the point of the bayonet. When near- 
ing South Court street, the first manifestations of the 
mob were made to resist further progress of the sol- 
diers. The Governor's Guard were immediately or- 
dered to the support of Company B. The mob in 
front of the Court House pressed forward, throwing 
stones and using fireanns, and after repeated warn- 
ings by myself and other officers to fall back, they re- 
peated their demonstrations and started to press down 
on the soldiers, when, seeing there was no other al- 
ternative, the command was given to the first platoon 
to fii-e. This checked them, and they fell back into 
Court street. One person, the leader of the party, 
was killed and several wounded. I hastened to 
Colonel Liggett's command and caused Company F to 
be detailed to move forward and assist in clearing Court 
street. I then ordered Company B, Fourteenth Regi- 
ment, and the Governor's Guard to their support. 
The column then moved west on Court street to the 
first alley, the crowd falling back in front of them. 

"Later I was advised that the mob had advanced 
to the point where Court street widened, and under 
the cover of buildings, had pelted the soldiers with 
stones and fired on them, wounding Colonel Liggett, 
Captain Slack and eight others, and that the command 
was given to the first platoon of Company F to fire, but 
with what results to the mob I was not informed. I 
immediately detailed Company H, and with a de- 
tachment of police, gathered such material as was on 
hand and carried it to Court street to build a barricade. 

"The mob had retreated to the Market House 
and contented themselves with firing revolvers and 



36 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

muskets from tiiat point. About 2 A. M. came word 
that the mob had eot into the Music Hall and had cap- 
tured three brass cannon belonging to the Second Bat- 
tery. Soon after a telephone message was received 
from Colonel Church saying that a mob of about 200 
had three brass cannon at the corner of Fourth and 
Vine streets. I ordered Companies H and K, with the 
battery gun, to accompany Sheriff Hawkins and my- 
self in their pursuit. Chief Keilly of the police de- 
tailed one company of his command to lead the ad- 
vance. The police being able to move much faster 
than the soldiers, who had the gun to shove over the 
pavement, were enabled to get there first and had the 
honor of capturing the guns which they pulled by hand 
to the jail. 

"Little occurred during the remainder of the 
night. Surgeons Guerin and Gunsaulus secured 
Burdsal's drug store, iOO Main street, as a temporary 
hospital, where they attended the wounded soldiers 
and did good service. Sunday morning we were rein- 
forced by Colonel Picard, of the Thirteenth Regiment, 
with Company A of his command, bringing with him 
10,000 rounds of ball cartridges. During the after- 
noon a barricade was built at the comer of Main and 
Ninth streets. The crowds continued to increase at 
Ninth and Main, ISTinth and Sycamore, at the canal on 
Main street, and especially on Court street. During 
the afternoon threats were made and many became 
unruly and numerous arrests were made by the police 
under cover of the soldiers at the barricades. The 
roughs in front of the Court street barricade succeeded 



THE FOURTEENTH, O. N. G. 37 

ill covering themselves by pushing forward all the 
women and children to the front, but fortunately for 
all, they contented themselves with venting their 
wrath in swearing vengeance when night should come 
and occasionally hurling a stone or firing a revolver. 
At Main street and the canal, under cover of bridge, 
stones were continually thrown at the soldiers and 
many were hit, and it was with the greatest effort that 
the mob were restrained from advancing on the bridge 
and firing at the guards. At last one fellow advanced, 
brandishing a revolver and defying the guard, and fell. 
His friends carried him away. The shot had the de- 
sired effect, stopping all disturbance at this point. Be- 
tween 2 and 3 P. M. the Fifth Battery, Captain Sintz 
commanding, arrived and were assigned position; also 
115 officers and men of the Fourth Regiment. 

'"In consultation with Sheriff Hawkins and Col- 
onel Hunt, it was deemed advisable to move forward 
and strengthen the barricade on Sycamore and Kinth 
streets; also the one on Court street facing the canal. 
At dusk the positions of the companies were changed 
from what they were the night before. All was com- 
paratively quiet until between 10 and 11 o'clock, when 
the mob, which had gathered at the Market House on 
Court and Walnut, commenced firing from this point, 
protecting themselves by the stands at the Market 
House and by the buildings at the comer. When the 
aim of the mob became too accurate for endurance, it 
being evident by the balls striking the barricade and 
the Court House beyond, that larger weapons tlian re- 
volvers were being used, it was thought best, at least, 



38 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

to give the mob tlie benefit of one case of cartridges 
from the battery gun by firing it into the Market 
House; but before this was done, due warning was 
given by the oflicers that it would be done if the firing 
did not cease. Oaths and a volley from the mob was 
the response; then the twenty shots were fired from 
the gun. A number of casualties was the result. 
This caused the mob to scatter for the time and with 
the exception of random shots from them, there was 
comparative quiet until about midnight. Orders were 
received from General Finley and the mayor, ordering 
a detachment to be sent to Walnut Hills to guard the 
powder magazine at that point. Colonel Picard, of 
the Thirteenth Regiment, with three companies of his 
regiment, were detailed for that purpose and remained 
there until about 5 o'clock A. M. After firing the 
battery gun at 11 o'clock, positive orders w^ere issued 
against the firing of any single shots by the soldiers 
and that no firing should be done unless some soldier 
was shot or the mob endeavored to charge the works. 
Near 1 o'clock it became evident that another attack 
would be made. I took my station at the comer of 
Court and Main with Sheriff Hawkins, Colonel Hunt, 
Major Schwarz, Captain Sintz and other officers, and 
in speaking distance with the officers in charge of the 
barricade. A fusilade was opened by the mob from 
their old position at the comer of Walnut and Ct>urt. 
No response was made by the soldiers, and after per- 
haps fifteen minutes over fifty shots had been counted 
striking the Court House, others having hit the barri- 
cade, the mob became bold and decided to charge, and 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. A^ G. 89 

as they expressed it with oaths, 'Clean out those blue 
coats.' The soldiers obeying orders remained quiet 
and not until the mob came forwai'd firing and yelling 
was the order given to fire, when two volleys, in quick 
succession M^ere fired. Five persons were known to 
have been wounded. This was the last firing done 
and gradually all became quiet. 

"At 7 o'clock Monday morning it became evi- 
dent that the rioting for the day was over and orders 
were given to unload pieces. 

"During the day, orders were received for Com- 
pany B of the Ninth Battalion to join the other com- 
panies of the command at the City Building. Com- 
pany E and a detachment of Company K of the Four- 
teenth Regiment and two companies of the Thirteenth 
Regiment arrived and reported for duty. By orders 
from General Finley the Seventeenth Regiment re- 
ported at the jail for duty. Monday night was quiet 
and in marked contrast with the night previous, the 
men doing their duty without loads in their pieces. 
The men of the companies that had been on continuous 
duty since Saturday were relieved and allowed to se- 
cure such quarters as were available for rest. Tuesr 
day morning Company D was detailed to represent 
the regiment at Captain Desmond's funeral as per 
General Finley's order. 

"At 2 P. M. orders were received relieving us 
from further duty and we left for home at 4:30 P. M. 
Two companies of the Thirteenth Regiment were left 
at Loveland and Corwin respectively. The remainder 
of the command arrived at Columbus about 10 o'clock, 



40 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. Q. 

where we proceeded to our armory and dismissed tlie 
city companies. The companies outside the city were 
quartered in the armory for the night and returned to 
their respective homes Wednesday morning. It is 
my painful duty to report one fatal casualty in my 
command, that of Private Israel Getz, of the Gov- 
ernor's Guard, who lost his life by the accidental dis^ 
charge of a gun while on duty Mondav afternoon. 
I here desire to express my thanks for the courtesies 
extended to me by my superiors while at Cincinnati and 
10 every officer and man under my command for their 
alacrity and promptness in doing every duty assigned 
them and for their coolness and soldierly bearing 
under the most trying circumstances. 

"Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
"GEO. D. FREEMAN, 
"Colonel Fourteenth Regiment." 

The regiment suffered heavily in the duty at 
Cincinnati. Their suffering from loss of sleep, con- 
tinued fatigue and the great mental strain, however, 
was as nothing as compared to the casualties. The 
effect of the fighting was as follows: 

KILLED. 

Private Israel Getz, Governor's Guard, accident- 
ally shot. Ball entered right eye, penetrating brain, 
death ensuing in almost twelve hours. 

WOUNDED. 

Lieutenant Colonel Liggett, shot through calf of 
leg, presumed to be a Ko. 32 pistol ball; Captain Slack, 
Conipany F, Fourteenth Regiment, shot in right hand 



TEE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 41 

with medium size shot; Sergeant C. S. Amy, Com- 
pany F, Foiu-teenth Regiment, shot in head, neck and 
shoulder, receiving a full load of medium sized shot; 
Corporal Morrison, Company F, Fourteenth Regi- 
ment, shot in face and hand with medium sized shot; 
Corporal U. S. Rogers, Company F, Fourteenth Regi- 
ment, shot in face and leg with small shot and struck 
in chest with boulder, and in falling injured his back; 
Charles W. Berry, private Company F, Fourteenth 
Regiment, contused wound of left knee from boulder ; 
Charles Yeiser, Private Company F, Fourteenth 
Regiment, shot in center of forehead with pistol ball; 
AVilliam Scobey, private Company F, Fourteenth 
Regiment, lacerated wound of left upper lip produced 
by brick or boulder; J. F. Kelly, Private company F, 
Fourteenth Regiment, slight wound in leg produced 
by small shot; George Borches, private Company F, 
I'ourteenth Regiment, contused wound of scalp pro- 
duced by small sliot; George Dowdall, private Com- 
pany F, Fourteenth Regiment, contused wound of 
face produced by a blow of the fist ; E. C. l^eiderlander, 
private Company F, Fourteenth Regiment contused 
wound of shoulder produced by club; Grant Thomas, 
private Company F, Fourteenth Regiment, shot in 
both hands with small shot, one shot penetrating joint, 
producing a painful wound; Oakey Armsted, private 
of Goveraor's Guard, wounded in leg by the accidental 
discharge of musket. 



42 THE FOURTEEMH, 0. N. G. 



CHAPTER III. 



AN EPOCH OF EXCURSIONS. 

Trouble in Hocking County — Companies K and B on Duty- 
Camp at Detroit— Tlie Field of Gettysburg— Colonel 
Freeman's Proposition — Corporal Grisso Killed — The 
Fourteenth at Philadelphia — Inconveniences Suffered by 
Ohio's Soldiers— Columbus Armory Burned— Hospital 
Corps Organized— State Encampment at Columbus- 
Ohio's Centennial — The Fourteenth in New York— An- 
nual Encampments. 

Colonel Freeman in his report has told as fully 
as could be related in so few words of the excellent 
service performed by the regiment in the times which 
certainly "tried men's souls" in Cincinnati. It is very 
gratifpng indeed to note that in all the state and par- 
ticularly in Cincinnati there has not since been so 
troublesome a period. The regiment had another 
opportunity of showing what they were and what they 
could do in a call to Ashland, where Company G- was 
sent to protect the county Court House from mob 
violence. As the regiment had been successful at 
Cincinnati, so were the boys who went to Ashland, 
and the press of the whole country paid glowing 
tributes to the bravery of the "Gallant Fourteenth." 

The echoes of the Cincinnati riots were still re- 
verberating through the state when the miners of 
Hocldng, Perry and Athens counties rose up in their 
might against a reduction in the wages paid for the 
mining of coal. They were thoroughly organized 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 43 

and at a fixed day every one of them stopped work and 
refused to resume operations in the mines until their 
employers should agree to restore their former wages. 
This was in June and the trouble continued through- 
out th.e summer until the following August. 

In the meantime, the mining companies had em- 
ployed men to take the places of the strikers, and this 
move was met with determined opposition on the part 
of the miners. No demonstrations were made, how- 
ever, until in August, when, on the 30th, mattei-s 
assumed a very serious phase at Longstreth and Snake 
Hollow in Hocking county and at Straitsville in Perry 
county. The old miners here had determined to 
compel the '"scabs," as those who had taken their 
places were called, to quit work. They had tried 
reason and pui'suasion, and these methods failing, force 
was resorted to. 

Telephone and telegraph wires were cut, and 
with communication thus shut off, the strikers imag- 
ined that they commanded the situation. Armed 
with shotguns, revolvers and other weapons, an assault 
was made at Snake Hollow and one man killed. A 
house in which quite a number of people were asleep 
was attacked, but fortunately no casualties resulted. 
A four thousand dollar hopper was burned mth a large 
quantity of coal and some other property destroyed. 
Fearing that further trouble would follow. Sheriff 
McCarthy, of Hocking county, appealed to the gov- 
ernor for military aid. The appeal was joined in by 
the prosecuting attorney of the county and the mayor 
of the town where the rioters were in force. 



44 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

Colonel Freeman was at once ordered to get his 
command ready to move at a moment's notice and the 
regiment was accordingly assembled ready for duty. 
Companies of the Sixth and Seventeenth regiments 
wre sent to the scene of the trouble, and at first it ap- 
peared as though the trouble would soon end. All of 
the Fourteenth except Company K was relieved, the 
company mentioned having received orders to report 
to Assistant Adjutant General Colonel Dill, who took 
command of all the troops in the field. Rumors ob- 
tained general circulation that the situation was be- 
coming more serious and a great deal of uneasiness 
was felt among the troops and at the State House. 
The companies above mentioned remained on duty 
with Colonel Dill until September 12th, when they 
were relieved by companies of the Second and Eighth 
regiments and B of the Fourteenth, Captain Coit 
commanding. When B company reported it was asr 
signed to duty at Sand Run, a detail also being made 
to report for duty at Murray City. The company 
remained on duty until September 27th, when the 
trouble was all over. Lieutenant H. A. Guitner, of 
the Fourteenth, acted as quartermaster for the troops 
during the time they were at the mines, and Dr. F. 
Gunsaulus, of the Fourteenth, acted as surgeon. 

Flushed \vith victory and feeling justly proud of 
the record they had made, but still suffering from the 
severe loss which they had sustained during the past 
year, the boys went into camp at Columbus in August. 
There was no official duty to perform after the en- 
campment, and what had been the busiest year in the 



THE FOURTEENTH, O. X. G. 45 

history of the regiment was quietly ushered out with 
nothing to occupy the minds or the time of the boys 
as soldiers, but regular drill and application to the 
study of military matters. 

In 1885 Lieutenant Colonel Liggett severed his 
connection with the regiment and his place was filled 
in June by the promotion of Major Andrew Schwarz. 
The regiment was treated to a pleasant excursion in 
the autumn of this year, having been sent to Belle 
Me, near Detroit, for the annual encampment. 
While there the regiment participated in the memorial 
service at the time of the death of General Grant. 
Their tine appearance and soldierly bearing was favor- 
ably commented upon by the people and the press at 
Detroit. 

The next year the Governor's Guard, or as it was 
"officially" called, "The Governor's Guard Gatling 
Gun Company," was attached to the regiment and 
designated as Company L. It was not long 
after the regiment had been thus strengthened 
that another riot was threatened at Cincinnati, 
and it was feared that the trying experience 
of two years before would be repeated, but fortu- 
nately the trouble was settled without the service of the 
regiment. The boys had been ordered into camp, 
however, at Carthage, and had their services been need- 
ed they would have been ready to go "where duty 
called." It was this willingness and this spirit which 
has won for the regiment the reputation it enjovs now, 
even beyond the continent. The annual encampment 
was held in this vear at Springfield and was a brigade 



46 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

camp, with Colonel Freeman in command. In July, 
Captain A. B. Coit of B Company was made major. 

The encampment in 1887 was held in the Fair 
Grounds near Lancaster, O., and the tents stood in the 
shadow of the historic old Mt. Pleasant. On the ar- 
rival of the train, September 6, arches were found over 
the streets, houses, private and business were dec- 
orated, and an immense crowd cheered the boys con- 
tinually. At the camp grounds it was found that 
floors had been provided for every tent. Until Sat- 
urday the time was spent in the most severe drill and 
preparation for the most pleasant and extensive trip 
ever enjoyed by a regiment of O. X. G. 

The dedication of the Ohio monuments at Gettys- 
burg, Pa., and the Constitutional Centennial celebra- 
tion at Philadelphia, were the two occasions in which 
the Fourteenth was to officially represent the state, 
but at their own expense. 

The regiment was sadly in need of new service 
uniforms and equipment. Many of those in use had 
been worn since the organization of the regiment, and 
in that time many calls for active duty had put them 
to the most severe tests. In a conversation between 
Colonel Freeman and General Axline, the latter re- 
marked that it was unfortunate that the legislature 
had made no appropriation to defray the expenses of 
a regiment or a portion of one to represent the state. 
Colonel Freeman thereupon tendered the services of 
the Fourteenth at their own expense, providina: the 
state would properly equip those needinsr it. 

The offer was accepted, the officers and men 
turned their camp pay into a common fund and Ohio 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 47 

was represented at an expense to the members of the 
Fourteenth regiment of over $5000. At 8 o'clock 
Sunday evening, a special train was boarded and with 
a short stop in Columbus, the run was made over the 
picturesque Baltimore and Ohio to Gettysburg, which 
was reached on Tuesday morning, September 13. 
The boys disembarked in a drizzling rain, marched 
through the old town and pitched their tents on East 
Cemetery Hill. The location of the camp was in the 
rear of the position occupied by Weidrick's New York 
Battery, and w^as near the point where the famous 
Ohio Brigade imder General Carroll repelled and for 
the first time defeated the Louisiana Tigers. 

In honor of General W. S. Hancock the camp 
was named after him. The tents had scarcely been 
pitched when the rain descended in torrents and every- 
thing was thoroughly soaked. On account of the 
condition of the ground, the rink was secured as a 
sleeping place, but in all other respects the camp was 
maintained. The day for exercises, Wednesday, 
opened clear and bright and was ushered in by a salute 
by a section of Battery E of the First Artillery, which 
accompanied the regiment. The boys brushed and 
cleaned up to receive Governor Foraker and the Ohio 
Memorial Commission, and to escort them to the N^a- 
tional Cemetery, where the formal dedicatory exer- 
cises were held. 

Upon the conclusion a salute of nineteen gims 
was fired. While this was in progress a sad accident 
marred what would other^vise have been a trip of un- 
alloyed pleasure. On the fifteenth discharge. Cor- 



48 THE FOUIiTEEM'H, O. X. (}. 

poral Orris Grisso was fatally injured by the premature 
discharge of the gun. Grass and weeds were being 
used as wadding and while Corporal Grisso was in the 
act of ramming it home, the discharge took place. 
His right arm and shoulder were almost torn off. He 
lingered for eight days, when death relieved him. He 
was not at any time able to be taken to his home. A 
delegation from Columbus formally represented the 
regiment at his funeral services in Springfield. 

At 5 o'clock that afternoon tents were struck and 
the train again boarded for Philadelphia, where the 
Fourteenth was Ohio's only military representative in 
one of the most magnificent military pageants since the 
close of the war. Thursday morning the train rolled 
into Philadelphia and the regiment took possession of 
its quarters. 

The state had made no provision for the trip 
whatever and the regiment was tendered their quarters 
by the Baltimore and Ohio Eailroad Company. 
These consisted of the depot, platforms and an en- 
closed yard. On these the boys nightly rolled up in 
their blankets and slept soundly. In striking contrast 
to these quarters were those of the First Massachusetts 
Regiment, which was located directly across the street. 
Massachusetts had appropriated $40,000 for a proper 
and fitting representation. Housed in an elegant and 
well built rink, the members of the First Massachusetts 
slept on mattresses, those of the Fourteenth Ohio were 
housed in blankets and slept on the ground. Long 
tables were provided by Massachusetts from which 
her representatives ate from china dishes and were 




w r ' »»t";-'i-"" ' v^ ' 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 49 

waited upon by colored servants. Frugal Ohio had 
her men eat from the tin plates and tin cups that they 
had brought with them. Massachusetts paid her rep- 
resentatives for going, while Ohio permitted hers to 
pay all the expenses for the trip out of their own 
pockets. 

On Friday morning the regiment formed at the 
Baltimore and Ohio depot on Chestnut street bridge 
and proceeded to the rendesvous after formally re- 
ceiving Governor Foraker and staff. 

At midnight of the same day the regiment board- 
ed the special train and left for Washing-ton City, 
where Saturday was spent in sight-seeing. Sunday 
noon, after a long ride, the Fourteenth pulled into Co- 
lumbus after tw^o weeks of continuous service and 
travel. 

Several changes in the organization of the regi- 
ment took place at the beginning of the year 1888. 
Major A. B. Coit was promoted to the rank of lieuten- 
ant colonel. He was succeeded by Adjutant Thad. 
K. Fletcher. 

In January of this year the Columbus Battalion 
met with a severe loss. Its Armory on Spring street, 
at the corner of Front, which had been purchased two 
years previous, was entirely consumed by fire with all 
its contents. Among the property lost by the fire was 
the stand of colors presented to the regiment and car- 
ried through the several engagements. In addition 
to these, a new stand was also burned which had been 
presented by the ladies of Colimibus that winter and 
had onlv been carried once, on the inauguration of 



50 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

Governor Foraker for his second term. It was in the 
same week that they were burned. 

On March 3 an order was issued from general 
headquarters for the formation of a hospital corps. 
This regiment was the only one in the service which 
complied promptly with the order, and it went into 
camp with a well drilled corps. It had also a regula- 
tion ambulance and equipage for field work. "Com- 
pany bearers" had hitherto performed the work which 
now came in as the duty of the hospital corps. 

For the first time in the histoiy of the Guard all 
the troops in the state were brought together in gen- 
eral encampment, from August 28 to September 4 in- 
clusive. The camp was located two miles north of 
Columbus on the Bee Line Road. It contained 500 
acres and was under the command of Major General 
Axline. Special attention was given to division work. 
The purpose in bringing the organizations together 
was for the companies and regiments to see the degi-ee 
of efficiency reached by the others. Special attention 
was given to the formation and maintainance of all 
forms of guard duty applicable to a division in active 
service. In the evening parades, by special arrange- 
ment, men would often become overcome with heat 
or get suddenly sick, so the other regiments could see 
the value of an efficient hospital corps. 

This being the Ohio Centennial year, a large 
demonstration was held in Columbus, and on breaking 
camp the entire division made a parade in honor of 
the event. 

On September 9. 10 and 11 the regiment was or- 
dered on snecial dutv in Columbus incident to the 



TEE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 51 

general encampinent of the Grand Army of tlie 
Republic. 

In 1889 regimental camps were entirely dis- 
pensed with and the entire Guard was ordered to rep- 
resent the state at the centennial celebration of the 
inaug-uration of Washington as President of the 
United States, in ISTew York City. The Guard was 
divided into brigades, the Fourteenth being placed in 
the Second Brigade, of which Colonel Freeman was 
in command. The Fourteenth left Columbus on 
Sunday, April 28, via the Columbus, Hocking Valley 
and Toledo and the Erie Roads, and arrived in ISTew 
York on Monday at 3 P. M. On Tuesday, the 30th, 
the parade was held. All other Ohio regiments left 
for home on ' Tuesday night or during Wednesday, 
but the Fourteenth remained until Saturday evening 
and arrived home on Sunday night. The boys were 
thus given an opportunity to visit the places of in- 
terest in and about Xew York. A very pleasant treat 
was accorded by the commanding officer, who char- 
tered a boat and took the command out to sea. 
Quarters were fui*nished by the committee of arrange- 
ments until Wednesday morning. The regiment 
then moved over to Jersey City, swung cranes and 
went into camp. The Erie Railroad and the Pullman 
Car Company officials did everything in their power 
to make the boys comfortable. They placed extra 
cars at their disposal, so that each man had plenty of 
room to lie in at night and they arranged room for 
cooking purposes in the yards. 



52 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

The Fourteenth had no reason to feel ashamed 
of its appearance in the parade here. The usual de- 
gree of efficiency was maintained and brought forth 
praise from all who were conversant with military 
matters. The entire command appeared in heavy 
marching order and prepared for field work. 



THE FOURTEENTH, O. N. 0. 53 



CHAPTER IV. 



STRIKES AND RIOTS. 

Resignation of Colonel Freeman — Election of Colonel Coit — 
General Sherman's Funeral at St. Louis — Duty at Chi- 
cago — Howe on 1S94 — The Wheeling Creek Campaign — 
Causes for the Strike — Troops Called Out — Services of 
the Fourteenth — The Result — Galvin's Army — Trouble 
at Washington C. H. — Colonel Charged With Murder — 
Annual Encampments. 

For almost twelve years the destinies of the regi- 
ment had been in the hands of Colonel George D. 
Freeman. He had received every success, every re- 
verse, with the fond interest of a father. He had sur- 
mounted difficulties which would have driven many a 
Napoleon to despair. He had taken charge of the 
regiment when it was made up of scattering groups of 
awkward men, and with this material he had con- 
structed a military organization which was now known 
and loved all over the United States. It had been the 
hope of his early military experience and it has ever 
since been the pride of his ripened career. Other 
duties made it impossible for him to devote the time 
and energy which according to his ideas of administra- 
tion were essential in keeping the regiment what he 
had made it, so on October 9, 1889, he tendered his 
resignation. The regiment lost his presence and abil- 
ity, but never his interest or his sympathy. He has 
watched with a jealous eye every movement of the 
command, and when it became a part of the United 



54 THE FOLBTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

States anny, no one more tliaii he offered every possible 
assistance. Even while in a foreign land his influence 
was ever manifest, and when the regiment returned 
home covered with glory, no hand of welcome was 
offered mth a warmer heart than his. 

When officers and men realized the loss they had 
oustained, they began to look about for material with 
which to repair the breach. In this effort they were 
exceptionately fortunate. On November 8, the next 
in command stepped forward and upward, and at the 
call of the regiment took up the work where their be- 
loved leader had left off. Lieutenant Colonel Coit 
immediately assumed command and when the war 
^vith Spain came on he was found at his post of duty, 
where he remaineil until the close of the war. He 
was succeeded as Keutenant colonel by Major Fletcher 
who in turn was succeeded by Captain Speaks. 

The following year, 1890, the miltary laws of 
the state were changed, making fewer but stronger 
regiments. The Sixth regiment was disbanded, and 
the companies at Mt. Sterling, Washington C. H. and 
Circleville were attached to the Fourteenth. The 
organization was patterned after that of the German 
army, comprising three battalions of four companies 
each. This organization differed from that observed 
in the regular army, but it was maintained throughout 
the war. The regiment encamped in 1891 at Presque 
Isle and did no duty of any consequence until Febru- 
ary of 1892, w-hen on the 20th, they left Columbus 
to attend the funeral of General William T. Sherman 
at St. Louis, Mo. The annual encampment was held 




ALONZO B. COIT. 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 55 

at Marion. Colonel Ooit at this time was assistant 
adjutant general of the state. The next year the regi- 
ment went to camp at Logan, O. In October they 
attended the dedication of the World's Fair Grounds 
at Chicago and the following year went to Chicago to 
camp and attend the World's Columbian Exposition. 

In his report for 1894, Adjutant General Howe 
said: '^The year has made history for the Ohio Na- 
tional Guard more extensive in operations, exacting 
and arduous in execution than any year since its or- 
ganization. The unsettled conditions existing not 
only in Ohio, but thi"oughout the whole country, 
seemed to bring with the idleness imposed, lawlessness 
in different forms, and in different counties civil au- 
thority was set at naught, and the strong arm of the 
state government was called upon to aid and uphold 
law and order." 

The first trouble of the year occurred at Toledo 
on January 4. On the 19th a great fire at Springfield 
made it necessary to call out the militia. Again on 
February 23, trouble was feared at Cincinnati, but fif- 
teen men were all that were needed to restore order. 
On April 15, the sheriff of Logan county was com- 
pelled to call upon the Second Infantry to aid in 
protecting a prisoner from mob violence. 

Again Adjutant General Howe is quoted : ''Fol- 
lowing this trouble came the holding up of a train on 
the Bailtimore and Ohio Railway, at Mt. Sterling, by a 
body of men calling themselves "Galvin's Army." 
These men. 215 in number, had taken possession of 
a train of sixteen cars, and would not leave the same, 



66 THE FOURTEENTH, O. N. G. 

even after the civil authorities had called to their aid 
as many deputies as they could secure to serve. The 
railroad company also selected a picked body of men 
from the city of Columbus, and had them sworn in as 
special deputies and tried to eject the men, but failed 
in their efforts. The sheriff of Madison county, seeing 
his inability to enforce law, called upon the Governor 
for military assistance, and there was ordered to Mt. 
Sterling on the morning of April 28, the First Bat- 
talion, Companies A, B. C and F, and Company L, 
14th Infantry, and Battery H, First Light Artillery, 
under command of Colonel Coit. The troops arrived 
at Mt. Sterling and, after warning the offenders to 
vacate the property they were unlawfully holding, in 
a good, soldierly way proceeded to displace them, 
which was done without serious resistance, and trains 
were at once started on schedule time. The conduct 
in this affair of both officei-s and men is to be com- 
mended, and the summary dealing with these offend- 
ers of Ohio's laws, we believe, saved the State much 
expense during the year from the same class of people, 
of whom many bands entered the State and departed 
without conflict with the civil authorities." 

IsTo comment is needed to these words of praise. 
The regiment had again done i^"s duty and the glowing 
report quoted above is merely the official one of many 
favorable reports of this tour of duty. 

The call for troops coming from the sheriff of 
Guernsey county, June 6, 1894, proved the greatest 
of the year. There v\'as called into service besides the 
14th, the 8th Tufantrv, seven companies of the 17th 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 57 

Infautry, tho 2nd Infantry, the 16th Infantry, the 5th 
Infantry, three companies of the 3d Infantry, 
the Toledo Cadets and three Batteries First 
Regiment Light xVrtillery, making a total of 
3,371 officers and men in the field. In addition to 
these, six companies of the 3rd Infantry were as- 
sembled in their armories, making a total of officers 
and men under call, of 3,647. 

The cause for this array of military strength was 
a general "strike" of the miners and the National 
Guard duty is known as the "Wheeling Creek Cam- 
paign." 

The first official information Governor McKinley 
received was a telegram from the sheriff of Guernsey 
coimty, dated June 6, stating that a force of miners es- 
timated at from 400 to 600 men had taken possession 
of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at jVIineral Siding 
and that they were interfering with trains by placing 
obstructions on the track and compelling freight trains 
to run in on the switches and take off all coal cars be- 
fore being permitted to proceed. The sheriff added 
that the miners were armed with clubs and more dan- 
gerous weapons, and that threats were being made to 
do still greater damage. He also stated that he could 
not possibly organize a posse capable of coping with 
the miners and fearing* that they would be reinforced, 
asked help from the governor. 

Orders were at onoe promulgated to assemble the 
various regiments and by the next morning, June 7, 
another appeal was made by the sheriff of Belmont 
county, giving the same reason. In this county the 



58 THE FOURTEENTH, O. X. G. 

B. and O. and the C, L. and W. Kailways were at- 
tacked, the latter by about fifteen hundred men, mostly 
foreigners, so the sheriff stated. 

The regiment was scattered all over Central 
Ohio, many of the men residing in the country and at 
small inland towns, so that it was three o'clock in the 
morning before orders were issued to the entire regi- 
ment. Major Speaks was then a clerk in General 
Howe's ofiice and had it not been for his energetic ef- 
fort, the regiment could not possibly have been as- 
sembled so soon. 

Everything was gotten in readiness and on the 
morning of the seventh, the Fourteenth left Columbus 
for Cambridge, where they arrived next morning. 
General Howe accompanied the regiment in order to 
be on the scene of the trouble and thus be better 
enabled to assume personal charge of general opera- 
tions. At eleven o'clock the regiment arrived at 
Morris Station. There they found that cars had been 
knocked to pieces, coal dumped on the tracks and 
everything in turmoil. At a quarter after one, how- 
ever, the trains were running for the first time in three 
days, but the strikers were in the hills near by, ready to 
sweep doT\Ti on the railroad property as soon as the 
soldiers had left. 

The danger at St. Clairsville Junction had be- 
come greater, consequently the Seventeenth was left 
on guard at Mineral Siding and the Fourteenth and 
Eighth, with Batteiy H started for the new scene. 
TelegTams were fast coming in to the governor and the 
situation became serious. More troops were ordered to 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 59 

prepare to move at a moment's notice, and the whole 
state became excited. It was reported to the governor 
that near a cut through which the Fourteenth would 
have to pass, the miners were located and that they 
had prepared to roll down a huge boulder on the train 
bearing the troops as it passed them. The train pro- 
ceeded, however, and was not seriously molested until 
it reached Wheeling Creek, six miles east of Bellaire. 
The train had proceeded along the banks of the stream 
through the hills until it reached a point where the 
valley widened into a basin. It was a beautiful spot, 
an ideal location for the little mining town, which 
nestled snugly here among the rugged hills. Across 
the valley, perhaps a mile, stood a little church, 
around which 600 men were assembled. The regiment 
was formed and immediately deployed into battle lines 
and excitement reigned everywhere. It looked as 
though there was to be a pitched battle and many ex- 
pected that the banks of the picturesque rivulet which 
flowed peacefully through the rocky hills, would soon 
be gorged with a stream of blood. 

As the regiment advanced slowly across the little 
valley, however, the crowd dispersed. The regiment 
went into camp and threw out pickets. The soldiers 
and miners came into constant contact, but at no time 
did a clash become general. Several times crowds had 
to be dispersed, but no fatalities resulted from the dis- 
charge of any duty. 

Onthemoming of the9th Sheriff Scott aunouTiced 
that trains would start on the C, L. & W. from Bridge- 
port, where coal trains had been detained by the strik- 



60 THE FOURTEENTH, O. N. G. 

ers. The sheriff requested that ample protection be 
given coal trains throughout Belmont county. A 
guard was ordered consisting of the Second Battalion 
of the Fourteenth and the Second Battalion of the 
Second regiments, and Colonel Coit placed in com- 
mand mth instructions to follow trains and permit no 
interference. The first train was somewhat delayed 
just before reaching camp, and before the soldiers had 
boarded it. It had been stopped for an instant just be- 
yond the lines, and was immediately attacked by a 
crowd of women, who pulled the couplings and carried 
them away. They were encouraged in their actions 
by a large crowd of men congregated near, but not on 
railroad property. A detachment was sent from camp 
who dispersed the crowd and enabled the train men to 
recouple the cars and proceed. 

The coal trains guarded by the Fourteenth were 
molested, but so well did the boys perform their duty 
that no damage was done except at Burton, where the 
strikers succeeded in disconnecting one of the trains 
by drawing coupling pins. The train was gotten safe- 
ly through Belmont county, however, and the soldiers 
reported back to Wheeling Creek, tired and worn out 
but ready for duty wherever their serAdce-^ were 
needed. 

The strike soon became more general and the sit- 
uation became more serious in proportion. Canal 
]^over was made the base of supplies and the governor 
decided to push a vigorous campaign against the 
strikers unless they gave up the idea of destroying 
y.roporty. The Fourteenth Regiment was scattered 



'IHE FOURTEENTH, O. N. G. 61 

over almost the whole of tlie mining district, one part 
of the detached companies being placed under Colonel 
Darrow at Canal Dover, and the others under the im- 
mediate command of Colonel Coit, with headquarters 
at New Philadelphia. 

There was at no time what could be called a 
pitched battle, but shots were actually fired on several 
occasions, but fortunately there were no lives lost ex- 
cept that of Private Gerber, of Columbus, who struck 
his head on a rock while diving in the Tuscarawas 
river. His body was embalmed and sent home under 
escort for military burial. 

The miners pursued a sort of guerilla policy, 
keeping as much as they could out of sight of the sol- 
diers and making raids on railway and mining prop- 
erty. Bridges were burned and trains were stopped, 
but as soon as the troops approached they would re- 
treat to some place of safety. Colonel Coit gave or- 
ders to the sentries on duty to allow^ no one to approach 
nearer than 200 yards of the picket lines and then to 
advance singly and be identified by one of the mem- 
bers or employes of one of the mining companies. 
Several skirmishes were engaged in but nothing seri- 
ous occurred. Private Jacob Stinnell had the honor 
of capturing a banner from a party of miners and the 
act of himself and comrades was regarded as one of 
unusual bravery. 

At Canal Dover several dnmken persons and 
some of the colored cooks and camp followers ensraged 
in a quarrel and trouble seemed imminent, but prompt 
action on the part nf the officers quieted all the trouble. 



62 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

The drunken persons were arrested and under escort 
were turned over to the civil authorities. Bridges were 
burned in all parts of the mining district and the en- 
tire force of militia on duty were kept dodging from 
one point to another. Colonel Coit was at one time cut 
off from his base of supplies by the burning of a bridge, 
but he managed to get into communication with head- 
quarters by a round-about way. 

Finally, on the seventeenth, the miners and oper- 
ators, having come to an agreement, matters became 
more quiet and Colonel Coit wired that part of his 
command could be dismissed. Companies H, G, M and 
L were accordingly relieved and the next day the en- 
tire regiment was called back to Columbus, where the 
boys were glad to join their families and friends. At 
Columbus the regiment was reviewed by Governor 
McKinley and the men publicly thanked for their ser- 
vices. 

The regiment liad been on continuous duty for 
nearly two weeks and in a service that was far from 
being a pleasant one. There was danger, privation and 
hard labor to perform, but the men suffered all their 
trials as real soldiers and the people of Central Ohio 
Avere justly proud of them. 

While the services of the regiment in the Wheel- 
ing Creek campaigTi were still fresh in the minds of 
the people, a most distressing occurrence became part 
of the history of Fayette county. A negTO named 
Dolby had committed a criminal assault near Wash- 
ington Court House, and as all indications seemed to 
point clearly to the man's guilt, public sentiment be- 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 63 

came uncontrollable. The negro had been duly ar- 
rested and was confined in the county jail, but as the 
records of Fayette county were without the stain of 
such crimes, the people declared that no one should 
break the record and live. Crowds gathered to discuss 
the situation and as the law did not provide for the ex- 
ecution by capital punishment of these crimes, many 
of the enraged citizens concluded that the best plan 
would be to adopt lynch law in the case. 

They were soon joined in this opinion by others 
and before even they themselves were aware of the 
fact, a dangerous crowd had collected. As life and 
])roperty seemed to be in danger the sherift" called in- 
to service E Company of the Fourteenth Regiment,, 
f-tationed at Washington Court House, but they <b'u 
not present force enough to cope with the crowd, so 
the governor was called upon for more troops. Com- 
panies A and B, of the Fourteenth, under Colonel 
Coit, were at once ordered to the scene of the trouble. 
They left on the afternoon of the 17th of Octo- 
ber and arrived in Washington Court House a few 
hours later. The official report has the following to 
say of the affair : 

"During the day of the seventeenth but little 
trouble occurred except at the time the prisoner was 
taken from the court house to the jail for trial. As 
the sheriff, with his prisoner, left the jail, the crowd 
assembled, made a rush and but for the cool, solid and 
effective work of the military, would have secured the 
prisoner and accomplished their purpose. Ofiicers and 
men in this afternoon engagement proved them'^elves 



64 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

good soldiers and, without exercising severe punish- 
ment upon those unlawfully assembled, prevented the 
mob from carrying out their intentions. The prisoner, 
having been arraigned before a grand jury especially 
convened, pleaded guilty to the charge and was at once 
sentenced to the penitentiary for the maximum term 
of years provided by law. 

"The crowd had constantly been increasing dur- 
ing the day and, in consequence of the fierce struggle 
that had occurred in the afternoon, the sheriff was of 
the opinion that it would not be safe to take the pris- 
oner from the court house with the number of troops 
on duty. He therefore asked that more troops be sent 
so that the prisoner might be moved with safety to the 
train and transported to Columbus. While awaiting 
re-enforcements, Colonel Coit had the court house 
cleared of citizens and he, together with Major Speaks 
and the sheriff, begged and urged the crowd to dis- 
perse and leave the court house grounds. These ap- 
peals were frequently made to the crowds outside and 
each time they were met by jeers and taunts. Dark- 
ness coming on. Colonel Coit concluded to withdraw 
all guards from outside the building and station them 
within. He barricaded the doors and then warned the 
besiegers to not molest or attempt to break them down, 
clearly advising them that if such an attempt were 
made, the troops would fire. 

"The colonel then went into the building and, 
after having guards placed at each entrance, gave or- 
ders that if the doors were broken in by the mob, to 
fire. Unlawful demonstrations were still kept up, and 



s 




iiir'! 










THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 65 

at about 7:15 o'clock of the evening of the seventeenth 
of October, with a battering ram of large dimensions, 
the south doors of the building were burst in and the 
detail stationed at this point fired a vollej into the 
mob, which proved quite destructive, killing outright 
two persons and maiming and wounding some twelve 
or fourteen others. Reinforcements had been ordered 
to report to the sheriff. 

"These commands were readily assembled and 
reached Washington C. H. in the early morning of the 
eighteenth. Forming the entire force, the prisoner was 
taken from the court house and escorted to the depot, 
where the troops under command of Colonel Coit em- 
barked, the sheriff having in charge his prisoner, and 
all proceeded to Columbus, where they arrived at 
about seven o'clock on the morning of the eighteenth. 
After seeino" the prisoner safely landed in the peni- 
tentiary, the troops marched to the armory and were 
dismissed. Colonel Hunt, commanding the forces left 
at Washington C. II., remained until about 11 o'clock 
a. m. of the eighteenth, when they were dismissed by 
the sheriff and returned to their respective homes. 
The conduct of the troops throughout was commen- 
dable, and press and public, not only of the state, but of 
the entire countrs'-, sustained their action and in the 
strongest terms have spoken praise of Ohio's citizen 
soldiery." 

Although the troops had done their duty, it was 
a sad ''ight to the citizens of Washington Court House 
to see their neighbors thus shot down and they felt 
verv much srrieved in the matter. Colonel Coit was 



66 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

blamed for the deaths, having given the order to fire,, 
and the sympathizers with the intended lynchers were 
very angry. To even up matters, the colonel was 
charged mth murder and indicted by a gi-and jury. 
When the time set for his trial arrived, he secured a 
change of venue and the case was taken into the courts 
of Pickaway county. The trial lasted several weeks 
and cost both the county and the colonel considerable 
money, but it finally ended with a verdict of acquittal. 

Thus ended the history of the regiment as a Na- 
tional Guard organization so far as active service is 
concerned. The annual encampment in 1895 was at 
Chattanooga, near where, three years later, the men 
received their first experience as United States volun- 
teers. The next year, 1896, the encampment was at 
Cleveland, and in 1897 the boys were given au excur- 
sion to ISTashville, where the last annual encampment 
was made before the war. 

The year of 1898 brought with it experiences 
with which very few of the members of the Fourteenth 
were familiar. Some of the older members remember- 
ed the trying times of the great Civil War and to the 
younger members this year brought with ii all the 
trials and hardships of actual warfare as will be seen 
in the following pages. 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. O. 67 



CHAPTER V. 



WAR WITH SPAIN. 

Period of Peace^ — Condition of Army and Navy — American 
Peace Policy— Relations Between England and Spain — 
Cessions of land from Spain to United States— Cuban 
Insurrection — The "Ten Years' War" — Second Rebel- 
lion—Daily Press Reports — Cuban and Spanish Lead- 
ers — Weyler's "Reconcentrado" Plan — General Lee's 
Report— The De Lome Affair — Destruction of the 
Maine — The Countrj' Aroused — Cry for War^Prepara- 
tions for War — President's Proclamation — Declaration 
of War — Dewey's Victory— Ohio's Volunteers — Militia 
Assembled — The Fourteenth at the Auditorium— Camp 
Bushnell. 

A period covering more than tliiri;y years of 
absolute peace within her own borders and with all 
the world found the United States at the beginning of 
the year 1898 about as unprepared for war as she had 
been at any time in her history. During that period 
she had courted peace with all nations and it seemed 
that no one had so much as dreamed that anything 
but the same blissful happiness enjoyed so long and so 
well should ever be disturbed by the howling of the 
storm of war. The army had been allowed to dwindle 
down to a minimum strength, the navy had been neg- 
lected, at least when compared to that of European 
powers, the military forces of the various states had re- 
ceived but half the encoura element they should have 
received and the idea of a naval reserve had just be- 
gun to be considered. 



68 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

In its general foreign policy, peace and good will 
was tlie first relation to be desired by our government 
under all administrations with all the nations of the 
earth. War had never come by solicitation, and hav- 
ing in all conquests been eminently successful, there 
seemed to be no need for any special provision for de- 
fense and the idea of conquest had never ben consid- 
ered. It seems that with Spain, however, the United 
States inherited war from the mother country. For 
centuries the navy, the soldiery and the citizens of the 
kingdoms of Great Britain and of Spain had tormented 
and insulted each other with a vie^v of hastening war, 
and it seems that when the American colonies threw 
off the yoke of government by the crown, Spain, while 
inwardly rejoicing at the trouble England was ha\dng 
on her hands, was too jealous of her own Western 
po^ibilities to lend a helping- hand to the struggling 
colonists. She hated England and everything that 
was English, and merely looked upon the contest be- 
tween oppressor and oppressed with an inward satis- 
faction she dared not express. 

The first treaty ever entered into between the 
United States and Spain was ratified during the first 
administration of American government in 1795, at 
the time Thomas Jefferson was secretary of state. It 
will be remembered that at that time the Spanish 
government had important colonial possessions in the 
southern part of what is now the United States, and 
as trouble between these colonies and the United 
States seemed to be never ceasing, it was deemed best 
to secure as much of these possessions as possible. Ac- 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. -V. G. 69 

cordingiy, Spain ceded the territory of Florida to this 
country. This had a tendency to ease the relations 
between the two countries and everything passed oif 
quietly until 1848, when an invasion of Cuba and 
Porto Rico was contemplated by Mexico and Colom- 
bia. As intervention on behalf of these islands at 
that time would have been a bloAv to slavery as it 
then existed in the United States, nothing was done by 
the American government. Prominent statesmen 
and the country in general, however, constantly cast 
wistful glances toward the wealthy island of Cuba, 
and a few years later an attempt was made to secure 
possession of Cuba by purchase and even the snug 
sum of $100,000,000 was offered the Spanish gov- 
ernment for her equity in Cuba, but every effort at 
purchase proved futile. This attempt at purchase was 
made in good faith by both parties and was carried on 
very peaceably, but there was a party in the United 
States which was rather unwisely anxious to see Cuba 
pass into the hands of the United States and an effort 
was made to secure the island by force. 

Accordingly the filibustering expedition of 1851 
was organized and started to Cuba under the com- 
mand of Lopez, but the result was rather disastrous 
and many brave American boys lost their lives. The 
United States of course disavowed this action on the 
part of some of her citizens, and then it became the 
Spaniards' turn to offend. This she did in 1854 when 
the "Black Warrior," an American vessel, was seized 
in the harbor of Havana, and war was again threat- 
ened. The slavery question again had a tendency to 



70 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

repress any undue enthusiasm, and the matter was 
peaceably adjusted. 

Another period of good feeling between the two 
countries then began and existed for nearly twentv 
years to be again broken by Spain during the much- 
talked of "Ten Years' War," when Cuba had made an 
effort to throw off the yoke of Spanish oppression and 
for ten long years struggled for her liberty. It was 
duiing the fifth year of this war that Spanish vessels 
captured the American "Virginius" and towed her to 
Santiago, where nearly a score of the men and officers 
of the American ship were rather irregularly executed. 
Trouble again seemed imminent, but it developed that 
the register of the "Virginius" was a "fake" and settle- 
ment was arranged by the Spanish government agree- 
ing to pay an indemnity to the relatives of those sea- 
men whose lives had been taken. The Cubans in this 
war, which lasted from 1868 to 1878, had many sym- 
pathizers in this country, but public opinion at no 
time seemed to reach alarming proportions. 

This had been an expensive war, and when the 
island had been completely subdued, as the Spaniards 
thought, it was decided that the Cubans themselves 
should pay the whole expense of the war. Unreason- 
able as this was, Cuba was helpless; but the increased 
burden was a breath in the smoldering ruins of Cuban 
patriotism, and in 1895 another insurrection was be- 
gun. The "Ten Years' War" had not been barren 
of results even if the Cubans had been defeated. They 
had learned much of the art. of war, and during the 
interval preceding the insurrection of 1895 an or- 



THE FOURTEENTH, O. N. Q. 71 

ganizatioii almost perfect was effected. Local leaders 
acted quietly but etit'ectively, and the Junta took the 
responsibilitj of perfecting all plans. 

The result of combined efforts was that at the 
beginning of the insurrection in 1895, General An- 
tonio Maoeo was ready to take the lead and a vigorous 
campaign was at once begun. Captain General 
Campos placed himself at the head of a strong Spanish 
force, but they were no better organized and little bet- 
ter handled than the insurgents, and as all military 
operation was that of guerilla warfare. General 
Campos and the king's troops did very little indeed 
towai'd squelching the rebellion. 

The financial condition of Spain was by no means 
encouraging, but being naturally one of the proudest 
nations of the globe, she put forth every effort to put 
an end to the insurrection in her western colony. The 
Cubans were practically without funds and without a 
government which any government, though willing, 
could recog-nize. The dusky patriots made every pos- 
sible sacrifice for the common cause, and with what as- 
sistance they could receive from private individuals 
in the United States and other countries, they man- 
aged to carry on a warfare which was anxiously 
watched by all the civilized world. The daily press 
in Europe and America made dilligent records of 
every step made by either side, and millions of inter- 
ested readers watched for the accounts of the brilliant 
dashes and patient marches made by the Cuban leader 
and his scattered bands. 

The Spanish leaders made every effort within 
their power to tone down these accounts and to send 



Tl THE FOURTEENTH, O. N. G. 

out conflicting reports to the press of their own coun- 
try. This effort was made for the two-fold purpose 
of arresting sympathy for the Cubans in the United 
States and Europe and to deceive the taxpaying public 
of their own country as to the exact condition of af- 
fairs in the incorrigible colony. Reports were sent 
out one day that the gallant Maceo had been killed 
and the next day the report was denied. This was 
kept up until the reading public was in great fear for 
the safety of the general, but to their great regret it 
was finally definitely learned that the brave leader 
had been killed in December of 1896. It has since 
been definitely learned also that he was shot 
and that he died as a soldier, but some reports 
at the time said that he had been stabbed by 
members of his own command. He was succeeded 
soon afterward by General Gomez and the war con- 
tinued. While the loss of Maceo was a severe blow to 
the Cubans, they were none the less discouraged and 
persisted in their resistance to the rale of the Cas- 
tilian crown. 

The government at Madrid finding that Campos 
was making little if any headway in crushing the 
Cubans, sent General Weyler to relieve him. The 
Cubans, who had heard of General Weyler, shuddered 
at the thought of having to oppose him, but they soon 
had better reason to shudder at the mere mention of 
his name. So cruel and so unmilitary were the o]:)era- 
tions of the Spanish army that its leader became gen- 
erally known as "Butcher" Weyler. The method of 
warfare was absolutely criminal and the "execution" 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 73 

of his army nothing short of murder. At least, it is 
hardly considered by civilized nations within the rights 
of an army to slay helpless women and innocent chil- 
dren and to commit the outrages that reflect even on 
the character of the men composing a nation's soldiery, 
yet these methods were constantly pursued by Weyler 
and these crimes were committed in the name of the 
Spanish government. 

Finding that he was accomplishing nothing, but 
on the contrary that he was constantly loosing 
ground, General Weyler decided to resort to ^'ex- 
treme" measures. His own troops were poorly fed 
and while those in the Cuban ai-my could not possibly 
leave the camp for the field, he knew that the peasantry 
must be fm-nishing them with subsistence. He also 
learned that his own soldiers were giving in exchange 
for sweet potatoes and cured meats, cartridges and 
other military supplies which were carried directly to 
the insurgent army. Realizing that he could do noth- 
ing under these circumstances he decided that instead 
of feeding his own men and maintaining discipline in 
his own ranks that he would further punish the rebels. 
He therefore published in October, 1896, his famous 
''bando," an order by which all the peasantry of the 
island was gathered into the large cities and placed 
under guard as "reconcentrados," to prevent them 
from operating the plantations. This, as a matter of 
course, created an indescribable suffering, but in his 
obstinacy and cruelty he imagined that he had struck 
a serious blow at the rebellion. In fact he had only 
aucmented the hatred of the Cubans for Spain and had 



74 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

enlivened the sympathy that had already existed for 
the struggling patriots. 

After a vigorous campaign in which absolutely 
nothing had been accomplished by Spanish arms, 
Weyler was recalled to be succeeded by General 
Blanco, Avho proceeded much after the fashion of his 
cruel and unsuccessful predecessor. 

Blanco was instructed by his government, after 
they saw that it was impossible to defeat them by force 
of arms, to offer the Cubans a government of Au- 
tonomy. But having suffered too much already from 
Spanish deceit, the proposed compromise was scorn- 
fully rejected and the Spanish officer who conveyed 
the offer of General Blanco was killed. 

While all these things were going on in Cuba the 
people of the United States were doing all they could 
consistently to aid the insurgents. Funds were se- 
cretly subscribed and sent over in many mysterious 
ways, and so intense and so general was the feeling in 
America that even the governors of states were known 
to subscribe large funds to be sent to Cuba in such 
ways that the act would not become generally known. 
The Junta also did good work, organizing societies 
all over the country and agitating a spirit of interven- 
tion on the part of the United States by recognizing 
Ouba as a republic of itself. Enthusiasm ran high, 
and when it was finally arranged by a sort of tacit 
agreement that the people of the United States could, 
through their consuls in Cuba, send provisions and 
money, the laborer and the capitalist united their 
offerings and liberal donations were sent not only to 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. O. 75 

the ''reconcentrados," but as well to those who were 
known to be fighting in the Cuban army. Later on 
United States vessels openly carried these supplies 
and United States consuls aided in their distribution. 
These acts of sympathy as a matter of course 
created no little indignation in Spain and in Spanish 
countries. England looked on the struggle in Cuba 
much as did the United States, but as her interests 
were not at stake nearly so much as our own, very little 
if anything was done in that country to aid the Cubans 
except to show in a quiet way that her sympathies were 
with them. This may be accounted for in the fact 
mentioned before that the interests of Spain and 
of England have been for centuries arrayed against 
each other. England was in this case ''getting even" 
for the attitude of Spain at the time her own western 
colonies were in open and armed rebellion. It might 
be stated in this connection that in the contest between 
Spain and the United States, England, although she 
announced and maintained a neutrality in the real 
sense of the word, showed in many ways a remarkable 
friendliness for the United States. It was a strange 
coincidence that nearly every report, and many there 
were, that touched on the likelihood of a European 
power entering into an alliance with Spain, was sup- 
plemented by another to the effect that Great Britain 
had made overtures or was considering a plan to enter 
into an alliance with the United States. Indeed it is 
still thought by many that the attitude of Great 
Britain had a great deal to do with the carrying on of 



76 THE FOVRTEEXTE, 0. N. G. 

the war, as the other European powers were supposed 
to be afraid of the strong alliance this would have 
made. 

In January, 1898, the American consul at Ha- 
vana, General Fitzhugh Lee, of Virginia, reported 
that the situation was becoming serious. There were 
riots in the Cuban capital and xVmerican life and prop- 
erty had become endangered. A delegation directly 
representing the American government had visited 
the seat of war and had reported that the pictures of 
cruelty and the consequent suffering reported in the 
daily papers had not by any means been exaggerated. 
Indeed they said the condition of affairs on the island 
was absolutely beyond description. Something had 
to be done in the name of humanity, and it was plain 
that public sentiment could not be restrained much 
longer. War with Spain was talked of on every hand 
and each dav it became more evident that wai was 
inevitable. 

When the seriousness of affairs was assured by the 
report of General Lee, the government authorities 
acted promptly and the North Atlantic squadron was 
ordered together at Dry Tortugas, a distance of six 
hours' sail to Havana. Had the life or property of 
American citizens been jeopardized at any time, Uncle 
Sam's war dogs could have furnished protection in 
very short order. 

On January 25 the "Maine," in command of 
Captain Sigsbee, entered the harbor of Havana. Her 
arrival had been announced and she was assigned by 
the Spanish port officials to position. The officers of 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. A'. 0. 77 

the "^laiue" were given a reception on shore and every 
one seemed to be pleased that the vessel had come. 
It should he stated here also that the presence of the 
"Maine" had nothing whatever to do mth the situa- 
tion as to peace or war, as the visit was a friendly one 
and was so regarded by the Spanish officials both at 
Havana and at Madrid. 

Senor De Lome, the representative of the Spanish 
government at Washington, about this time committed 
a grave offense by rather vigorously criticising the 
people of the United States in general and the presi- 
dent in particular for the attitude taken toward his 
government and her interests in a letter which was 
afterwards published. As soon as the contents be- 
came known, Minister De Lome was told in so many 
words that he would have to "git" and he "got." The 
letter was published on February 9 and in a few days 
afterward Spanish affairs were in the hands of a 
"charge d'affaires," and remained so until March 12, 
when Senor Polo y Baniabe arrived to succeed De 
Lome, 

On the morning of February 15 the daily press 
came out with the most startling bit of information 
that had been published at any time since the great 
Civil AVar had closed. The "Maine," one of the most 
valuable vessels in the United States navy, had been 
blown to atoms the night before while lying at anchor 
in the position to which she had been assigned by 
Spanish port officials at Havana a few weeks before. 
Not only was the great vessel totally destroyed, but 
two hundred and fiftv-one American seamen lost their 



78 THE FOURTEENTH, O. N. G. 

lives and ninety-nine otliers were injured. The whole 
country was now thoroughly aroused, and it was no 
longer a question of ''war or no war," but "when will 
it come?" Considering the feeling the people of 
the two nations had had for each other no one doubted 
but that the explosion was a result of Spanish treach- 
ery and the Spanish were accused on every hand of 
having purposely piloted the "Maine" to a position 
over a submarine mine. On the I7th a commission of 
four prominent naval officers were appointed by the 
president to investigate the explosion and the causes, 
and they at once took up the work. On the following 
day the "Viscaya," a formidable Spanish war vessel, 
made her appearance, also on a friendly visit, in the 
harbor of New York. 

It was feared by many that some over indignant 
American would seek revenge for the loss of the 
"Maine" and commit some rash act, but the "Viscaya" 
was not molested in any way during her stay in 
American waters. On the day following the arrival 
of the "Viscaya" the Spanish government asked that 
the investigation of the "Maine" affair be carried on 
by a commission made up of representatiA^es of both 
governments, but the proposition was not favorably 
considered. 

Wbile the investigation was being carried on 
there was a general clamor for war among the masses. 
Cooler heads advised more deliberation and the presi- 
dent asked that public opinion be suspended until the 
report of the examining board should be filed. It now 
became an absolute certainty that if the examiners 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 79 

found that the explosion of the ''Maine" had been 
clearly an act of Spanish treachery, war could not 
possibly be averted. Preparations for the inevitable 
were instituted and the homes of the army and navy 
departments changed from the usual scene of quiet and 
serenity they had presented for the last thirty years 
to scenes of busy activity. 

While the country was awaiting with almost 
breathless suspense the action and report of the board 
of naval examiners, congress, on March 8, appropriated 
$50,000,000 to be used for purposes of defense, and 
of course, if necessary, for carrying on the war which 
was rapidly forcing itself. On the next day this ac- 
tion Avas concurred in by the senate and preparations 
were more vigorously pursued. On March 21 the 
naval examiners finished their labors and completed 
their report, w^hicli was first reviewed by the presi- 
dent and his cabinet, and on March 28 presented to 
congress. On April 1st congress passed the Naval 
Appropriations bill and the condition of the country 
soon presented a more war-like aspect. On the 20th 
■of the same month an ultimatum was cabled to Spain, 
announcing that the patience of the United States had 
been too severely tested and that Spain would have to 
relinquish her claims on Cuba or fight. Three days 
were given the Spanish for a reply and it was under- 
stood that if at noon on the 23rd Spain continued to 
push her campaign in Cuba, war would be formally 
declared. When the ultimatum reached Spain the 
X^nited States minister to that country, General 
Woodford, was informed by Spain that diplomatic 



80 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

relations with the United States had ceased and he 
was given his pass ports. General Woodford left his 
papers and business with the British minister and left 
for France at once. 

On April 23 the president issued the following 
appeal for volunteers : 

A PROCLAMATION. 

"Whereas, By a joint resolution of congress, ap- 
proved on the 20th day of April, 1898, entitled, 'Joint 
Eesolution for the Independence of the People of 
Cuba,' demanding that the government of Spain re- 
linquish its authority and government in the island of 
Cuba, and withdraw its land and naval forces from 
Cuba and Cuban waters, and directing the president of 
the United States to use the land and naval forces of the 
United States to carry this resolution into effect ; and 

"Whereas, By an act of congress entitled ^\n Act 
to Provide for Temporarily Increasing the Military 
Establishment of the United States in Time of War 
and for Other Purposes,' approved April 22, 1898, 
the president is authorized, in order to raise a volun- 
teer army, to issue this proclamation calling for volun- 
teers to serve in the army of the United States: 

"N'ow therefore I, William McKinley, president 
of tha United States, by virtue of power -vested in me 
by the Constitution and the laws and deeming suf- 
ficient occasion to exist, have thought fit to call forth 
volunteers to the aggregate number of 125,000 in 
order to carry into effect the purpose of the said resolu- 
tion; the same to be apportioned as far as practicable, 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. O. 81 

among the several states and territories and the District 
of Columbia, according to population, and to serve for 
two years unless sooner discharged. The details for 
this object vnll be immediately communicated to the 
proper authorities through the War Department. 

"In vTitness whereof, I have hereunto set my 
hand and caused the seal of the United States to be 
affixed. 

"Done at the City of Washington this twenty- 
third day of April, A. D. 1898, and of the inde- 
pendence of the United States, the one hundred and 

twenty-second. 

"WILLIAM M'KLNLEY. 

"By the President: 

"JOHN SHERMAN, 

"Secretary of State." 

On the same day there was presented to congress 
a measure for the purpose of raising funds for carry- 
ing on the war. On the next day, April 25, the presi- 
dent sent a message to congress asking that a declara- 
tion of war be made against the kingdom of Spain. 
Congress promptly took the action recommended and 
proclaimed "that war be and the same is hereby de- 
clared to exist, and that war has existed since the 21st 
day of April, 1898, including said day, between the 
United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain." 

Now that war existed and was an established fact, 
the people began to prepare themselves for the worst. 
The armies and navies of both nations were ready 
and waiting for the word to begin the sti-nggle and only 
two days after the proclamation had been made th<^ 



82 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

first action of the war occurred, on April 2Y, when 
several American gun boats fired on and silenced the 
forts at Matanzas in Cuba. On the same after- 
noon Commodore Dewey sailed from Mirs Bay to 
Manila. He was not heard of from that on until 
May 1st, when he had entered the bay of Manila, de- 
stroyed eleven Spanish vessels, killed 700 men, in- 
cluding two commanders, and virtually "captured an 
empire," all without the loss of a man or ship and 
sustaining an injury of but six men wounded. 

The news of the great victory was flashed across 
the globe and the whole world began to sound the 
praises of American seamen. They had already 
showed that the foe before them was less than a 
handful. 

As soon as the proclamation calling for volun- 
teers was issued, the various states began to figure on 
the apportionment they would receive, each state 
anxious to furnish as many men and as much money 
as would be needed. 

Ohio came to the front in her effort to furnish 
soldiers and money in the same energetic manner 
which had characterized her history in all of the previ- 
ous wars. The general assembly was in session at the 
time and authority was at once issued for the sale of a 
million dollars worth of bonds to be used for war 
purposes. The quota of troops apportioned to Ohio 
was 7752 on the first call and 3917 on the second, but 
this did not permit the enlistment of all the regiments, 
so the authorities at the national capital were induced 
to increase the apportionment to about 1500 more. 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. O. 83 

This included one regiment of cavalry, one of artillery 
and eight regiments and one battalion (colored) of 
infantry. 

Each regiment was anxious to get to the front 
first. They were also very anxious to preserve their 
National Guard organizations in the volunteer service. 
Their experiences in other services had learned them 
that their officers were able to take full control, and 
if they were to engage in any active services, as all 
firmly believed they would be, they wanted to be led 
to victory by the same officers who had commanded 
them in their previous drills and tours of duty. 

The officers of the regiment met at the Columbus 
Auditorium and for a time it looked as though the 
regiment would have to go intact or stay at home, but 
it was finally agTeed that they ofl'er their services to be 
accepted in just such shape as the government saw fit 
to use them. The War Department agreed to take 
the regiments as they were then organized, and accord- 
ingly the companies began to get ready for the call. 

The regiment was not quite full, but recruits were 
soon enlisted, one whole company (F) having been 
enlisted and organized in a few days by Captain 
Harry M. Taylor, who afterwards became one of thej 
assistant surgeons of the regiment. The companies 
of the regiment were stationed as follows: A, B, C 
and F at Columbus; D at Marysville; E at Washington 
Court House; G at Marion; H at Portsmouth; I at 
Lancaster; K at Delaware; L at Mt. Vernon; M at 
Circleville. These companies were ordered to assem- 
ble at the Armory at Columbus, which they did as 
soon as practicable. 



84 THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 

The Columbus companies assembled on Monday, 
April 24, and the next day the other companies came 
under ai-ms and ready to go to any part of the world 
if necessary. The Auditorium at Columbus was a 
splendid place for the accommodation of so many sol- 
diers. There was plenty of floor space for the men to 
sleep and apartments for the storing and distribution 
of subsistence. Goodale park, with its grass plots and 
shade trees was an excellent parade ground, and as soon 
as the companies arrived all the routine of camp life 
was adopted. Dress parade was the order of each 
evening in the park, and throughout all the day the 
recruits were drilled either on the floor of the xiu- 
ditoriimi or in the streets and the park. 

This part of the city soon became a popular re- 
sort for all Columbus. Crowds flocked in to see the 
boys and when the time for dress parade came, the 
park was filled with visitors. 

At the same time the Fourteenth was ordered to 
assemble, the other regiments of the state received 
similar orders. It was evident, of course, that the 
state troops would have to be together, so the entire 
guard was ordered to mobilize at Columbus. Other 
cities came forward with claims for the honor and to 
offer inducements for the state authorities to acknowl- 
edge their claims, but this was no time to distribute 
honors, and the capital being the most centrally lo- 
cated of all the Ohio cities, was at once selected. 

There was not room anywhere in the city to 
quarter all the troops in houses, so it became necessary 
to select a place for an encampment. After con- 
siderable looking around, Bullit park was chosen. 



THE FOURTEENTH, 0. N. G. 85 

This park was an ideal place for such use, cover- 
ing as it did several hundred acres, and situated near 
Alumn creek, which, it was supposed, would furnish 
an abunant supply of water for cooking and bathing. 
This proved not to be the case, however, but water 
was soon piped from the city water mains to the camp 
and there was at no time any danger of a water famine. 

The signal corps of the Fourteenth Regiment was 
sent out to the grounds and the park was divided into 
regimental camps. Each regiment was allotted a cer- 
tain space, with arrangements for regimental and 
company streets, and the location of the various head- 
quarters was also marked. The whole was named 
"Camp Bushnell," in honor of Hon. Asa S. Bushnell, 
then governor of the state. 

Although this work was carried on as rapidly as 
possible, it could not be finished for the accommoda- 
tion of the troops before the 28th. In the meantime 
the soldiers at the Auditorium were becoming tired. 
The floor was dry, but it was a hard place for a bed; 
the town was very convenient, but there were guards 
to prevent them from enjoying any of the advantages 
it offered ; the park was a pleasant place, but they were 
not permitted to lie in the shade of the stately trees 
or to pluck the buds from the fragrant plants. It was 
a constant drill from morning to night and the men 
could hardly wait for the time to leave the place. 
How glad they were to return to the Auditorium and 
how different were the circumstances surrounding 
their return will be seen later on. 



86 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 



CHAPTEK VI. 



THE FOURTEENTH-FOURTH. 

The March to Camp Bushnell— Camp Life — Changes in 
Company Organization— Drills and Paradesr— Growth of 
the Camp— Change of Name— Signal Corps Dropped— 
The Regimental Band— Bad Weathers-Rumors — Order 
to Leave— Parting Scenes— Camp Bushnell Left Be- 
hind—The March to the Depot— Scenes Along the 
March— At the Depot— Columbus Left Behind— Arrival 
at Chattanooga. 

The 28tli of April was hailed with delight by 
every man in the regiment. life in the Auditorium, 
while it was by no means an uncomfortable place to 
rive, was not that of the typical soldier. The boys 
wanted to be out of doors. They wanted to live in 
tents, to sleep on the ground, and in fact to do and live 
as soldiers. They did not want to play soldier in any 
sense of the word, but it was the height of their am- 
bition to be soldiers, and if a veritable Valley Forge 
were necessary to the change they were perfectly 
willing to receive it. Anything bearing real sem- 
blance to active military existence was preferred to 
sleeping on the floor of the Auditorium or turning 
out for dress parade in the adjoining park. 

Finally when all the preliminaries had been ar- 
ranged "assembly" was sounded and thecompauies were 
formed in the spacious hall. As soon as all was ready, 
they were each marched to Park street and the regi- 
ment was formed for the march to camp. There was 



THE FOURTH 0. 7. /. 87 

no escort and no attempt at parade had been made 
either by those in the regiment or by the citizens of 
Columbus. Even the daily papers, crowded as they 
were with telegraph news from Washing-ton and the 
seat of the war, said little of the trip to Bullit park, 
but the streets were lined with enthusiastic citizens 
who crowded out to see the boys "go to war" and to 
cheer them on the way. 

The old regimental band started the boys off to 
the tune of "Marching Through Georgia," and the line 
of march was the nearest route to the new camp: 
From Park street south to Goodale, east to High street, 
south to Broad street and east to the camp on the north 
side of the street and perhaps a half mile away 
from it. 

The position assigned to the regiment was at the 
extreme southwestern comer of the entire camp. 
When the Fourteenth reached the ground assigned to 
it, however, there was no camp there. None of the 
state troops had yet reported and no tents had yet been 
pitched on the park. The day was warm and under 
the rays of the bright spring sun, the "soldierines" aa 
they sometimes called themselves, began to realize 
that the life of the soldier is attended with some labor. 
They had been cheered to the echo all along the line 
of march, but that did not keep the sun from burning 
their soft white faces nor did it fan their sweated brows, 
but without dinner and without sympathy they car- 
ried tents and tent floors with all the might and main 
of veterans and by the middle of the afternoon, what 
had that morning been a vacant field gave all the ap- 



88 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

pearance of a military camp. Supper was soon pre- 
pared and before night comfortable quarters bad lieen 
made up for everybody in the regiment. 

The exertion of the day and the exhilarating effect 
of the vernal evening had a tendency to induce sleep, 
so all retired early. Not without first liberally patron- 
izing the sutler who had laid in a large supply of fresh 
pies and cakes and placed them on sale in a tent on the 
lot adjoining the camp. The first night at Camp 
Bushnell was more fully and more universally enjoyed 
perhaps than any other night in the six months in 
which the regiment was in the field. 

The Fourteenth was not long to be the only regi- 
ment at the camp. Soon the regiments from different 
parts of the state began to come in and within a few 
days two brigades had been fully organized with Major 
General Axline in command. He established his 
headquarters on East Broad street at a central location 
as to the general camp. Two brigades had been or- 
ganized, the first under Colonel Hunt, of the First 
Eegiment, and the second under command of Colonel 
Coit, of the Fourteenth. Colonel Coit's regiment was 
commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Adams, who had 
already established the reputation of being one of the 
best disciplinarians in the state. 

Colonel Adams began at once to exert his in- 
fluence over the regiment and the work of drilling 
was begim where it had been left off at Goodale park, 
but it was begun in far more earnest. Twice each 
day the companies were taken to a field at the north 
side of the camp and there put through the school of 



TEE FOURTH 0. V. I. 89 

the soldier, of the squad, the company and the bat- 
talion. As soon as the recruits had learned the "right 
shoulder" and "fours right," "extended order" drills 
were begun and many was the charge that was made 
against an imaginary foe on the banks of now historic 
Alum Creek. Parade at retreat soon made the camp 
a popular resort not only to those who had friends or 
relatives at the camp, but to all Columbus. On the 
first Sunday the camp was in existence the railroads 
arranged for excursions to Columbus and all day the 
street railway leading to the camp, all the hacks, om- 
nibuses and even transfer wagons were busy carrying 
visitors to and from the camp. The newspapers took 
a great interest in the boys and established branch of- 
fices near General Axline's headquarters. This in- 
terest kept up as long as there were any troops at the 
park. 

While the drills were going on, and while the 
men improved in their knowledge of military tactics, 
other changes were being made. Sergeants and cor- 
porals had dropped out for various reasons, others 
proved incompetent in the field and were reduced so 
that every private in the regiment who had any am- 
bition to become great, aspired to the chevrons. Many 
a disappointment was suffered during those hours and 
many a good "non-com" received his chevrons. 

This state of affairs existed for twelve days. 
During that time, however, the boys had been given 
an idea of every imaginable kind of weather known to 
a continental climate from summer to winter, to say 
nothing of the pouring rains which made the camp a 



90 TEE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

veritable pond and the boys who existed in it water 
soaked heroes. They had wanted all that goes with 
the life of a soldier and with a few exceptions they 
received all they had bargained for. All that was 
lacking was hardtack and the presence of an armed 
enemy. 

Within a week after the regiment had taken its 
position in Camp Bushnell Captain Rockefellar, of 
the United States army, had arrived to muster the 
militiamen into the volunteer service of the United 
States. It was decided that the Fourteenth Regiment 
should become the ''Fourth" in the federal service, the 
Sixteenth the "Sixth" and the Seventeenth the 
"Seventh." The First, Second and Third regiments 
were mustered and then came the Fourth on May 
ninth. First Colonel Coit and his staff and noncom- 
missioned staff took the oath which made them volun- 
teer soldiers. Then the twelve companies in order of 
the rank of their captains marched to the headquar- 
ters of the mustering officer, near general headquar- 
ters and all those who had successfully borne the phy- 
sical examination required by the government, were 
sworn in. 

As has been stated elsewhere, it had been de- 
cided that the regiment would be received into the 
service as it had been organized in the National Guard, 
but trouble arose as to the Hospital and Signal corps. 
Lieutenant Miller, who had made the Signal corps al- 
most a perfect organization of its kind, was not mus- 
tered into the service and the men he had trained so 
Avell, although they were telegraph operators and civil 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 91 

engineers, had to enlist as privates in the various com- 
panies or remain out of the service. Most of them 
chose the former and Lieutenant Miller was afterwards 
given a commission in the U. S. Volunteer service. 
The physicians, one major surgeon and two assistant 
surgeons, Major Seamans, of Delaware, and Captains 
Wright, of Circleville, and Taylor, of Columbus, 
were mustered in but no provision was made for the 
Hospital corps as it had existed in the militia service. 
The greater number of the members, however, enlisted 
as members of companies under the promise that they 
would be detailed to the hospital, but later in the ser- 
vice they were detached from the regiment and some, 
of them did not return to the regiment until long after 
the command had been returned to the United States. 
Several of them were fortunate in this, however, as 
they afterwards received the rank of hospital steward 
and commissary sergeant, something that would hardly 
hr.ve happened had they been allowed to remain with 
the regiment, from the fact that no vacancies occurred. 
3tore will b© said of these thoroughly patriotic and 
] atient young men later on. 

In the struggle for recognition as an organization 
the band came in for its share of trouble also. Many 
of the men who had been members of the old regi- 
mental band in the ^N'ational Guard felt unable to leave 
their families and other interests for the compensation 
offered by the government to private soldiers and 
while Bandmaster Jesse Worthington and Principal 
Musician Charles Eulo had been mustered into the 
federal service as members of the noncommissioned 



92 THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 

staff, no special provision was made for music except 
the two trumpeters allowed to each company. Man;); 
plans were discussed and many were the offers that 
were made, but the only way to get a band was for the 
musicians of the old band to enlist as privates and ef- 
fect the musical organization afterwards. It was 
agreed that all the other men of the regiment would 
pay two per cent, of their wages to the band. With 
the exception of the adjustment of a few complica- 
tions, this arrangement continued until the regiment 
was mustered out of the service. 

This state of living in an alternate state of 
fear and hope lasted for several days when the 
peace of the boys began to be perturbed by ru- 
mors of orders to leave. Dewey had given the 
Dons the first defeat in his memorable accomplish- 
ment at Manila and everybody was singing the praise 
of the great naval commander and his brave jacktars. 
One minute it would be thoroughly understood that 
the regiment would go at once to Tampa, Florida, and 
there embark for Cuba and then plans had changed 
and the Ohio troops would be sent to Washington to 
protect the capital against a possible attack which the 
Spaniards were said to be contemplating. The next 
minute some one would get from a "reliable source" 
that something else would be done and thus between 
tormenting the guards on duty around the camp of 
the Eighth Regiment and hearing of "wars and rumors 
of wars" — especially the rumors — the men lived in a 
state of anxiety until Saturday, May 14, when Colonel 
Ooit received definite orders to report at Camp George 



THE FOURTH 0. V. 1. 93 

H. Thomas, at C'hickamauga Park, Georgia, about 
ten miles south of the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee. 
The night of the foui'teenth was an unusually 
bad one. The rains had fallen in toiTents, the com- 
pany streets were little more than ditches and the 
tents were little more than pools of water. The tent- 
age had seen too much service and as they were not in- 
tended to be used in anything but fair weather, the 
boys suffered more than a little on account of the leaky 
canvas- 
Orders for the night were merely nominal so fax 
as the passing of men in and out of the guai'd lines was 
concerned. Passes were granted, especially to the Co- 
lumbus men and most of them spent their last night 
in Ohio as they thought, and which indeed was to some 
of them, with their families at home. Those from the 
other towns were granted permission to go to their 
homes in cases where it was possible to return to camp 
before the time set for moving and those who could 
not get away were made as comfortable as possible. 

The morning of the fifteenth dawned bright and 
fair. The sun broke through the thick clouds and 
scattered them away as though a special effort were 
being made to cheer the men in the hour of parting 
with friends and loved ones. The camp of the Fourth 
was the scene of hurry and bustle everywhere. Friends 
came out from Columbus and from the other cities to 
see the boys before they had made all arrangements 
for packing and to take a final handshake before the 
regiment was formed. Baskets and boxes filled to 
their utmost with the good things of life were carried 



94 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

in, but in many cases it was disposed of before the 
tents were torn down. 

Finally the order came to get ready and then 
there was a flurry. Officers and their assistants, the 
"non-coms," were busy giving orders and the men 
were kept on the run obeying them. Details were 
made for this and for that so that the boys had not a 
minute which they could safely call their o^vn. The 
baggage was loaded on wagons and the tents were torn 
down and in less time than is required to read this 
meager account, the camp of the Fourth Ohio was 
known no more to Camp Bushnell. 

As soon as everything could be gotten in shape, 
"assembly" was sounded and the regiment was formed 
on the ground where it had been paraded each day 
when the weather would permit. It was a little muddy, 
of course, but the sun continued to shine brightly and 
little inconvenience was suffered by anyone. The 
Eighth Ohio, which had been part of the second bri- 
gade under Colonel Coit, acted as escort as far as the 
limits of the camp and there the regiment was taken 
charge of by all the military and civic societies of the 
city of Columbus. 

A mass of people lined the route of march from 
the camp along Broad and High streets to the depot. 
Flags and bunting stretched over the streets, banners 
strung from every house and everything took on a 
gala appearance in honor of the departure for the 
front of the "pride of Central Ohio." Bands of music 
heralded the approach of the Fourth and at every 
point along the line of march, men women and chil- 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 95 

dren cheered, shouted and wept as they saw the hbjs 
marching steadily down the street, no one knew to 
where, how many would return or what trials would 
be endured before any of the faces passing before them 
would be seen again. 

It was the greatest day the city of Columbus 
had ever seen. Whistles all over the city screamed out 
the news that the regiment was leaving; bells from 
the churches, shops and engine houses rang out their 
musical peals of farewell; cannon boomed their sonor- 
ous but significant salutes, but all this turmoil could 
not suppress the sobs that persistently rose to the 
breast of the soldier as he recognized through the 
mass of humanity the wife, the mother or the sweet- 
heart he was leaving behind, perhaps forever. Strong 
men wept as they saw their sons march from their 
sight, living sacrifices to a noble cause; children cried 
out with pain as they saw their fathers disappear in 
the distance, going, they knew not where or why; 
mothers hid their eyes as they saw the pride of their 
lives among the masses marching proudly down the 
street with a musket on his shoulder. The only happy 
face to be seen anywhere was that of the lisping babe, 
too tender to realize the awfulness of the scene being 
enacted before its innocent eyes. 

When the regiment reached the Broad Street 
Methodist church, the voice of the colonel rang out 
above the din and the command "halt" was repeated 
down the line. The noises seemed to cease for the 
time being and there in the open air, beneath the rays 
of the bright spring sun, Bishop Joyce, of the Metho- 



96 THE FOURTH 0. Y. 1. 

d5^t church, asked that the blessing of the Heavenly 
Father rest upon the men and officers of the regiment 
wherever duty called them. How nearly that prayer 
was answered, it is the purpose of the following pages 
to relate. 

Governor Bushnell had taken place on the box 
of a coupe near the corner of Broad and High streets 
to review the regiment as it passed by. Tears rolled 
down his cheeks as he saw the boys pass down the 
street to go out to represent the state at the front, and 
it may be said here that as long as the regiment was 
out of the limits of its native state or when it returned, 
flushed with victory, it had no better friend than he 
who stood there to give the boys a sad farewell. 

Finally working its way through the dense crowd 
of people, the regiment arrived at the depot and there 
boarded a train divided into three sections, bound for 
Chickamauga Park. It was then afternoon and sad as 
the parting had been the boys were glad to throw 
themselves down on the car seats to rest. They had 
gone without dinner and the boxes which loving hands 
had filled with good things to eat were soon opened 
only to see the contents disappear as if by magic. The 
train soon left, however, amid the same patriotic dem- 
onstration which had marked the march through the 
streets of the city and when the view of the capital 
faded away the men reluctantly stretched themselves 
out on the soft seats to give up their thoughts to the 
scenes they had just witnessed and to the future. 

The trip through the picturesque hills of Ken- 
tucky was mostly after night, but the morning brought 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 97 

with it a sight of historic old Lookout mountain and 
the boys breakfasted within the city limits of Chat- 
tanooga, Tennessee. Considerable time was spent 
here before the trip could be resumed, but before noon 
all was arranged and the regiment was soon bovmding 
across the hills to the national park. 



98 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 



CHAPTER VII. 



CAMP GEORGE H. THOMAS. 

The Ride to CMckamauga Park — From Lytle to the Camp — 
Early Experiences — The Regiment Assigned — Hard 
Tack and Bacon — A Military Training School — Facts 
About Lytle — Regimental "Canteens" — Amusement- 
Facts About the Camp- — Some of Its Advantages— Vis- 
itors from Home and from Abroad — ^Evening Parades — 
Cakes, Pies and Sweetmeats — Religious Services— Re- 
connoitering Expeditions — A Sham Battle — Setting up 
and Breaking Camps — Sink Details — Rumors and Or- 
ders — Good News at Last. 

There was but one railroad leading to the camp- 
ing place. Trains stopped to discharge passengers for 
the park at a small station called Lytle. There was a 
small depot and two dwellings at the station when the 
regiment arrived there and the only business houses 
were a grocery where the postoffice was located and 
several frame structures where enterprising Chatta- 
nooga restauranteurs had started branches. The gov- 
ernment had constructed a board platform for the 
unloading of horses and mules and near the platform 
was the government coral where were penned hun- 
dreds of the longeared "soldiers" waiting to be dis- 
tributed to the volunteer regiments which soon began 
to mobilize at the park. The corral in itself was a 
great sight as well as the surrounding scenery, where, 
nearly half a century before, had been fought one of 
the greatest battles in history. 

As soon afe the unloading was completed the reg- 
iment was formed and marched for the position to be 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 99 

occupied in the great camp whicli was daily becoming 
greater. Several regiments of reg-ular troops had been 
encamped there before, but they had all been taken 
further south. There were several regiments of vol- 
unteer troops ahead of the Fourth, but it was among 
the very first to reach the great rendezvous. 

Marching across the red clay hills of Chicka- 
mauga field the regiment presented a brilliant sight. 
The colors spread proudly before the gentle southern 
breeze, the band played the same stirring tunes to 
which two armies had marched out to meet each other 
on the field of battle long years before, and the boys 
marched away with the steady tread that becomes 
worthy sons of noble sires. 

Although the train bearing the Ohio troops 
reached Lytle about ten o'clock in the morning, the 
spot selected for camp was not reached until late in 
the afternoon. 

The camp was laid out in due form and by the 
time the boys had prepared their future homes, it was 
time for them to put the hastily prepared couches to 
service. There were no folding beds, no springs and 
no place to put these or other comforts if they could 
have been secured. The boys wrapped themselves up 
in their blankets and lay down on the bosom of mother 
earth to dream of home and loved ones. The first 
night was greatly enjoyed even if the lizards did in- 
sist on intruding upon the peace of the tire-worn sol- 
dier. It was not long before the boys learned that the 
lizards were harmless and that mosquito bites were not 
dansrerous. 



100 THE FOURTH O. T. I. 

The next morning the boys learned that they 
were a part of the second brigade of the first division 
of the first corps of the Army of the Gulf, the military 
division of the United States, of which General 
Brooke had been commander with headquarters at 
Atlanta. It was but a few days until the rest of the 
second brigade came in and took position on either 
side of the Fourth, the Third Illinois at the west and 
the Fourth Pennsylvania at the east. These three 
regiments were together and lived as peaceable neigh- 
bore until the close of the war. 

There was little interest to the camp at Ohicka- 
mauga Park except its magnitude. There were sol- 
diers there from almost every part of the United 
States, north, south, east and west. There was no di- 
vision as to the existence of sympathies in former wars 
— all were Americans. 

One of the first novelties introduced to the boys 
was part of the first ration. It Avas the old fashioned 
hardtack. They had read of that feature of military 
life in both prose and verse. They had heard it 
praised and cursed, lauded to the skies and carried 
down into the blackest recesses of the great beyond, 
but few of them had ever "broken bread when it was 
hardtack." Of course the hardtack did not come 
alone. Troubles never do come singly, and when the 
regular old fashioned army bacon, "sow belly," as it 
was called by the majority or "pig stomach," as it 
was known by the less vulgar class, came, the boys 
realized that their troubles had actually begim. These 
two evils were well received as long as they were nov« 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 101 

eltieS; but for some reason not explained in the arm} 
regulations, soldiers become tired of tliis menu if it is 
served three times each day and for seven days in each 
week. 

In defense of hardtack it must be said, however, 
that for troops in the field, it is the best possible sub- 
stitute for bread that could be secured. It can be eaten 
"raw" or just as it comes from the bakery, it can be 
soaked in water and broiled, it can be broken to pieces 
and moistened in coffee, or it can form part of a mess 
made of beans, hardtack and other things, which, 
when ready to serve, bears a name, that when applied 
by one person to another precipitates a fight. 

This was the only kind of bread that could be 
procured for a while but the government soon estab- 
lished a mammoth bakery at Lytle and fresh bread 
was served to all of the regiments each day. Potatoes, 
fresh meat, vegetables and sugar came from the com- 
missary department, while the markets of Chattanooga 
and vicinity furnished milk, fruit and other provisions. 

Camp Thomas was designed to be nothing more 
nor less than a military training school on a large 
basis. The men were drilled from morning to night. 
They were trained in the manual of arms, in all the 
evolutions knowQ to military science, and they were 
educated in the perfoi-mance of guard duty. In fact, 
they were taught all that it is necessary for the typical 
American soldier to know. 

"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" 
was applied in a way at the camp. There were amuse- 
ments of various kinds, and to a limited extent th? 



102 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

men were permitted to enjoy them. Lytle, the station 
at the railroad, grew in a phenomenally short period of 
time from the little hamlet described, to a very metro- 
politan but temporary little city. There were all sorts 
of business enterprises represented, newspaper branch 
offices, telegraph and express companies, military sup- 
ply stores, photographers, hotels and restaurants, 
gambling dens and all the catch-penny schemes known 
to the fakir's art. In the midst of the camp a theatre 
had been constructed but it never met with marked 
success. The greater number of the regiments had 
"canteens" or restaurants, the profits of which were 
set apart for the benefit of the regiment at large. In 
the case of the Fourth Ohio, the proceeds of the sale 
of canned goods, refreshments, etc., were used to pay 
the obligation offered the band when the regiment was 
at Camp Bushnell. 

One of the most interesting forms of amusement 
was the collecting of relics of the Civil war. It will 
be remembered that the soldiers of General Brooke 
were not the first to occupy positions on the field of 
Chickamauga, but that those hills had been stained 
by the blood of one of the most terrible battles re- 
corded in the pages of history. In every part of the 
park could be picked up parts of rifles, bayonets, pieces 
of shell, bullets, canon balls, swords, ordnance supplies 
of all kinds and even human bones. The trees them- 
selves bore evidence of the fierce struggle between the 
forces of the north and the south and the rocks and 
decayed logs gave mute testimony of the terrible trag- 
edy which had been played on this scene less than a 
half century before. 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 103 

Some of the members of the Fourth Ohio had 
been on this very field and to them the work of time 
and the hand of man was unable to change the ap- 
pearance of the hills and the surrounding country. 
They would often pick out the positions of their reg- 
iments in the great battle and relate the experiences 
of that fight to their younger comrades, partly for 
their amusement and instruction and partly to get 
them familiar with the scenes and duties of the bat- 
tlefield. 

Chickamauga Park had more than one advan- 
tage over almost any other place in the country for 
such a camp. There was not only a good water supply, 
plenty of fresh air, parade and camp grounds, market 
facilities, convenience to the sea board, a climate prac- 
tically semi-tropical at that season of the year, but the 
very position of the park, the surrounding country and 
the history of the place had a smack of war which was 
absolutely wholesome for the young men who were 
training for the battlefield. 

The concentration of so many troops and the 
congregation of so many persons had a marked effect 
on the general intellectual welfare of the soldiers, for 
here they were able to meet and exchange ideas on 
subjects which have since proved valuable to them as 
citizens as well as soldiers. One of the effects of this 
camp on the soldiers there and in fact of the war and 
the people of the United States generally, was the re- 
moval of the old prejudices of the Civil War. Stand- 
ing here as they did, shoulder to shoulder, preparing 
to fight under one flag and for one country, the union 



104 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

of men from every part of the coimtry, but from the 
two great sections especially, removed more perman- 
ently than any other cause could have done the ill- 
feeling which had once precipitated a long and bloody 
civil war and which had ever since had the effect of 
keeping the people of these sections at more than a 
brotherly distance apart. 

The camp was visited by the friends of the sol- 
diers there and by foreign soldiers who had come there 
to study American ideas of warfare. Even China had 
sent one of her brightest intellectual lights to learn 
something of the art of war from the young but sub- 
stantial America. English, German, French and 
Russian experts pronounced the camp perfect in every 
particular as to natural appointments, but after the 
camp was abandoned many defects were pointed out 
as to the general management of the camp. 

The occasion of a visit from friends at home was 
the source of great pleasure to the boys. These visits 
were not restricted in any manner, but the camp was 
open to all at any time. Excursions were run to the 
park from almost every town which was represented 
there and the camp was usually crowded on Sundays. 
The people of Chattanooga and Atlanta flocked to the 
park in the evening to witness the evening parades and 
it is very pleasing indeed to note that the Fourth Ohio 
drew as much, if not more, attention than any other 
regiment on the field. The regiment had been so well 
drilled and so thoroughly disciplined while a IN^ational 
Guard organization that the parade ceremony of the 
regiment was as nearly perfect as it was possible for a 



TEE FOURTH 0. V. I. 105 

single body of men to make it. There were very few 
occasions, indeed, when the Fourth Ohio did not en- 
tertain a host of admirers at "retreat." 

One of the disadvantages, not from a soldier's 
point of view, however, was the absence of the things 
which make the epicure happy. Mothers, sisters and 
sweethearts did all they could to gladden the hearts of 
their loved ones at the park, but their efforts in this 
line were entirely fruitless, for as fast as the express 
wagons would deliver the loads of boxes of pies, cakes 
and pastry, the regimental surgeons would dump it 
into a sink dug for the purpose. The practice of this 
apparent "cruelt}," hard as it seemed at the time to 
the boys, was the means of not only preserving the 
health and efficiency of the regiment, but undoubtedly 
sf ved lives. Plain bacon and beans is a very coarse 
diet to be sure, but the addition of desserts promiscu- 
ously selected is not conducive to the best results of a 
military camp, and this was one of the lessons which 
the Chickamauga training school taught its pupils. 

There were many attractions at Chattanooga also, 
but it was the policy of the higher officials to discour- 
age trips to the city as much as possible. Military 
regulations are so fixed that when an officer of high 
rank desires the men in his command to do a certain 
thing, that thing is usually done, or some one receives 
an opportunity to explain why it is not done. The 
men of the Fourth soon learned this and at no time 
was there any trouble in the regiment on account of 
the disobedience of these orders. 

Each Sunday was made the day it should have 
been. A branch of the Young Men's Christian As^ 



106 THE FOURTH O. V. I. 

sociation erected a canvas tabernacle at which services 
were held at stated times during the week and also on 
each Sunday. Some of the most noted evangelists in 
the country came to the park to hold religious services 
and they were the means of accomplishing much good. 
Chaplain Shindel also conducted divine services each 
Sunday, and owing to the efforts of Captain Joseph J, 
Walsh, of Company A, the professors of the Catholic 
faith were permitted to attend services in Chatta- 
nooga. Thus it will be seen that the moral welfare 
of the soldiers was not overlooked by the officers of the 
regiment or by the public. 

As soon as the men became efficient in the ordin- 
ary drills, their education in warfare was broadened by 
long marches. The regiment, or sometimes only bat- 
talions and even companies were formed and often 
started out on various sorts of expeditions. At one 
time the First Battalion was given sealed orders and a 
day's rations and told to pack up and go to McFarland's 
gap to see how many men could be forced through it 
in a given length of time under certain circumstances. 
They were instructed to ascertain the best route to the 
gap and also other routes, and it was made a part of 
their duty to make a topographical map of the country 
through which they passed. In a day or two after that 
the Second Battalion was started in a different direc- 
tion and then the Third Battalion was given similar 
orders. Companies were taken out to be drilled in 
"extended order," and often the drill was "extended" 
to the furthermost parts of the park. Many an 
imaginary foe was driven from its position by a terrific 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 107 

charge up Snodgrass hill, one of the more elevated 
points of the park. 

On several occasions the whole regiment and even 
the whole brigade was taken out on such expeditions. 
Two di\dsions once formed two armies to oppose each 
other in a sham battle. The men were given pro- 
visions and blank cartridges and the division to which 
the Fourth Ohio belonged was started out to find the 
other division and drive it f i-om its position. This was 
fun in a way, but the battle came very near to being 
more than a mere "sham." 

The lines of battle w^ere formed much as they 
would have been in an enemy's country and started 
through the camp. All went well until Captain 
White and his company (B) started to pass through the 
camp of a Pennsylvania battery. The sentry on one 
of the posts thought that he should not permit the 
grass to be trampled upon promiscuously in his camp 
and he promptly ordered Company B to halt. The 
company had not made a reputation for halting unless 
so ordered by its captain and the boys of Company B 
were not disposed in any way to break the record on 
this occasion. Consequently they did not halt and the 
Pennsylvanian called out "the guard." The guard 
responded very well and so did the officer of the guard, 
but Captain White ordered his company forward. It 
seemed for a moment that something would happen, 
and even as it was Sergeant Hunt would have been 
thrust with an artillery sabre had it not been for the 
plate buckle on his belt. While this was going on 
Colonel Coit came up and put the officer of the Penn- 



108 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

sylvania guard under arrest and the company went on, 
winning the first blood for the regiment in the Spanish 
war. 

The battle must have been very interesting to the 
officers who occupied a cool position at the top of the 
hill, where they could see all the operations, but it was 
not so pleasant for the fellows who had to move from 
one point to the other under the rays of the boiling 
Georgia sun. The enemy was duly discovered and 
fired upon, but the officers in charge decided the battle 
in favor of the defense. 

The funniest part of the whole expedition oc- 
curred after the battle had been declared off and the 
troops started back to camp. The general and his staff 
were completely lost. In some way they had wan- 
dered out in the bushes to "reconnoiter" and before 
they were aware they could not find the way back to 
the line of march. The line waited some time, but no 
officers appearing. Colonel Coit assumed command of 
the brigade and took them back to camp. 

One of the lessons in the art of war which was 
thought to be among the more valuable, was the in- 
struction in the quickness and regularity of forming 
camp. Companies at first and then battalions and the 
regiment was taken out to the parade ground and ex- 
ercised in the setting up of shelter tents. By the 
execution of given orders it became possible, after a 
few days' practice, for the Fourth Ohio to stop from 
the march, stack arms, set up their tents and arrange 
a regular camp in less than five minutes. Then at 
the sounding of the "general," the bugle signal for 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 109 

breaking camp, the regiment could be fonned and 
ready for marching in almost as remarkably quick 
time. 

Had the regiment engaged in the long campaigti, 
which, at that time seemed more than probable, this 
drill would certainly have been very valuable, but as it 
was, shelter tent camps were only pitched at jSTewport 
News on the morning of arrival there and near 
Guayama on the evening of August 13. On neither 
occasion was there any particular haste required and 
on neither occasion did every man of the command 
have his shelter tent. 

No cne who lived at the camp will ever forget the 
way in which the surface of Chickamauga park was 
disturbed by the fatigue details. If a man did not 
respond to roll call without an excuse, or if he violated 
the thousand and one other rules of camp, he was 
slated for a fatigue detail. In charge of a non-coni- 
missioned officer, the men were given picks and shovels 
and put to work digging sinks. There were sinks 
from four to seven feet deep for all imaginable pur- 
poses and many a hard day's task was required to com- 
plete them. 

As it had been at Camp Bushnell and as it is in 
all military camps, there were all sorts of rumors 
floated at all times. Strange to say, the firrther from 
the probable truth the rumors were, the more believers 
they had. Many of these rumors, however, were well 
founded. Headquarters actually furnished material 
for a large majority of them, and what part of the re- 
mainder the newspapers did not supply the fertile 



110 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

brain of some designing soldier did. Orders came in 
one day to prepare to move on the next. The prepara- 
tions would be made and then the order was revoked, 
only to be succeeded by another order within a day or 
two. It was at one time intended to send the regiment 
to Cuba, and shortly before the first expedition was 
started for Cuba the strength of the regiment was in- 
creased to 106 men to each company. Officers were 
sent back to Ohio to do the recruiting. Battalion 
Adjutant Harry W. Krumm represented the first bat- 
talion, Captain W. L. Yincent the second and Major 
John L. Sellers the third. The recruits had not been 
drilled into thorough soldiers when orders came to 
drop certain of them in order to reduce the strength 
of the regiment, and thus it went until the expedition 
to Cuba had left and Santiago had fallen. 

The receipt of the news of this event was the oc- 
casion of gTeat demonstrations in Chickamauga park. 
Headed by the band and the regimental colors, the 
officers of the regiment called at brigade headquarters 
to congratulate General Haines. After paying their 
respects to the general they proceeded to the camp of 
the Fourth Pennsylvania, where they were joined by 
the drum corps and the officers and men of that regi- 
ment and a parade was formed through the Fourth 
Ohio camp to the Third Illinois. Here the bands 
played, the men cheered and each of the three colonels 
made addresses. After all had quieted down, the 
men went to their tents to drown their sorrow at not 
being able to help, in the solitude of their tents. 

After the fall of Santiago, rumors came thick and 
fast. Orders were likewise numerous, but the plan 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. HI 

of issuing and immediately revoking orders was con- 
tinued, so that things generally were in a very un- 
settled condition to say the least. Finally an order 
came which was never revoked. This order directed 
the Second brigade to take transportation at Rossville, 
a small station between Lytle and Chattanooga, and 
from there proceed through Lexington, Kentucky, to 
Nev\^ort jSTews, Virginia, where transportation would 
be in waiting to take the regiment to Porto Eico under 
an expedition in command of General Brooke. So 
manv orders had been received and then revoked that 
the men did not really believe that they would leave 
the park at all, hence the order did not create a con- 
siderable stir. Travel rations, of which more will be 
said later on, were issued to the regiment and all the 
baggage packed and made ready to be transported. 
:N'o one was to be left behind on this expedition and 
eveiybody was happy. 



112 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



TO NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA. 

The March to Rossville— To Chattanooga — Delays — The 
Trip Through Kentucky — Receptions Along the Line — 
Up the Alleghenies^ — Peep at Piedmont Valley — "On to 
Richmond" — At Newport News — A "Pup Tent" Camp — 
Reception — Dynamite Guns — Company F Becomes a 
Battery — Changes of OfRcei^ — Delays and More Ru- 
mors — Transport "St. Paul" — Transferring Baggage- 
Waiting Orders — Off to Sea. 

On tlie morning of July 22, the camp of the 
Fourth Ohio at Chickamauga park ceased to exist. 
To the music of the most stirring tunes which the 
band could play, the boys bid farewell to the camp 
that had been their home for sixty-seven days. The 
road over which the march was made to Rossville was 
probably the worst that the most of the men had 
ever seen. The dust was from three to eight inches 
deep and when the feet of the men struck the bottom, 
the dust raised so thick that it was utterly impossible 
to distinguish persons four feet away. It can well be 
imagined that the men suffered terribly under these 
circumstances, but the number who dropped out of 
ranks was very small. Considering the dust, the con- 
dition of the weather and the rate at which the march 
was started, the Fourth Ohio made a record in that 
march of which they may well feel proud. 

Thev reached the station in good time, but it 
was late before the train reached Chattanooga and 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 113 

even then the delays were almost innumerable, so that 
it was long after morning of the next day when the 
train bearing the Fourth reached Lexington. The 
route thus far had been oyer the ''Queen and Crescent" 
line, but at this point the trains were transferred to the 
line of the Chesapeake and Ohio. Quite a number 
of Ohio people had come as far as Lexington to take a 
final farewell to the boys they loved so well, and when 
the heavy-laden trains steamed out of Camp Bradley 
to the cheer of the boys of the Fourth Kentucky who 
were camped there, many were the eyes that were 
moistened with an impulsive tear and many were the 
misgivings that prevailed within an heroic breast. 

The route from Lexington covered the most pic- 
turesque section of beautiful Kentucky. The line of 
the railway stretched through the heart of the blue- 
grass region and then plunged into the heart of the 
massive Kentucky hills as though the fate of the war 
itself was actually in the hands that held the throttle. 
The panarama thus stretched before the view 
of the boys who were going forth to do battle, 
certainly did a great part in teaching them what a 
grand and beautiful country they were really fighting 
for. 

At Ashland a large party of Portsmouth people 
came down to see the boys of Company H. They 
came with well-filled baskets and the soldiers disposed 
of them in regulation military style. 

An amusing circumstance occurred here which 
served the people of Portsmouth as a lesson in the ap- 
propriating powers of the soldier. The train was di- 



114 THE FOURTH 0. F. /. 

Added into three sections, one battalion to eacli. Com- 
pany H being part of the second battalion was there- 
fore aboard the second section, but the Portsmouth 
enthusiasts had not been apprised of that fact. Going 
up to the first section a pretty Buckeye maid handed 
up a large basket to one of the boys whose head hung 
out of the car window and sweetly asked him to give 
the basket to "my brother." "Why certainly," re- 
plied the gallant soldier, and reaching down, he pulled 
into the car one of the handsomest "layouts" that ever 
came into the view or the stomach of a hungTy in- 
f antr^nnan. Another maid had a cousin for whom she 
had a basket and the same hard hearted rascal agreed 
to deliver that basket also, and then the third came 
from a blushing lass of nineteen who simply wished 
to remember "a friend." An officer happened just 
then to see what was going on and the game was 
spoiled, but there were three baskets of picnic dinner 
divided among a half dozen Fourth Ohio soldiers be^ 
fore the train had left Kentucky soil, and that officer 
was not one of the haK dozen either. 

Just before dusk the train passed along the Ohio 
river and the men involuntarily flocked to the west 
side of the train to take a last sight of their native 
state. The blue Ohio hills stretched away into the 
lengthening shadows with a grandeur they were never 
known before to have possessed, and with three lusty 
cheers for the grand old Buckeye state, the train 
pulled into West Virginia. 

At Huntington, where the first stop was made, a 
glad surprise was made a feature of the whole trip. 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 115 

The history of the regimeut as a National Guard or- 
ganization was known in Huntington and the people 
of that town did honor to its members by meeting 
them at the station with hot coffee and fresh sand- 
wiches for all. The train stopped some minutes for 
the reception, which was enlivened by a band concert 
and the exchange of three cheers and a "tiger" for the 
Fourth Ohio by the Huntingtonians and for the same 
compliment by the regiment for their West Virginia 
friends. While this was going on the boys on the 
train and the girls on the. platform were trading roses, 
fans, handkerchiefs and hair ribbons for brass buttons, 
hard tack and all sorts of souvenirs. 

It was dark when the train bearing the first bat- 
talion left Huntington, hence there was little interest 
to the trip from that on until daylight. The train 
made slow progress in getting up the steep grade 
during the night, some of the connections being rather 
bad, so that it was necessary to make numerous stops 
for repairs. Daylight found the regiment well to the 
top of the hill, near Cliffton Forge. 

Here the most delightful journey that could have 
been enjoyed anywhere at that season of the year was 
begun. The train bounded over the hills, across the 
narrow valleys, through woodland and by the side of 
rich- pastures. It dashed by the way stations where, 
as had been the case in Kentucky, the village people 
gathered to see the boys "going to war," and at some 
of the little mountain villages, the train fairly brushed 
the bunting, flag's and flowers which decorated the 
buildings and trees in honor of the regiment. 



116 THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 

The men of the Fourth Ohio were treated on that 
day to the finest views that nature ever spread upon a 
landscape. On one side the hills towered up into the 
very bosom of the clouds while on the other side the 
deep fertile valleys spread out far below the tracks 
into the distance. Passing through Staunton the 
train darted through the heart of the mountain, then 
curved sharply around peaks and cliffs and finally 
pushed along the side of a steep bluff, where to the 
right lay the beautiful Piedmont valley, clothed in 
the most beautiful array which nature could bestow. 
The gracefully winding turn pike seemed to creep 
companion-like with the sparkling stream, off to the 
gentle south, their path leading through fields of ripen- 
ing grain and waving corn, where were nestled little 
groves and comfortable farm houses, snugly ensconced 
in the happy scene as if placed there by the Creator to 
show above all other places how truly "the heavens 
declare the glory of Grod and the firmament showeth 
His handy work." 

Speeding down the mountain side the train soon 
reached Charlottesville, where it stopped long enough 
for the sections to get together and for the men to 
invest in pies and other delicacies at the near-by res- 
taurants. The delay was longer here than had been 
intended on account of a breakdown of one of the 
trucks. The repair was soon made, however, and the 
journey resumed, so that as it was growing dark, the 
boys found themselves where their fathers had tried 
hard to get thirty years before — within the city limits 
of Richmond. They received a very different recep- 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 117 

tion, however, than their ancestors had received, for 
the boys in blue were welcomed on every hand, and 
although the stop at Richmond was very short, the 
town while they were there belonged to the Fourth 
Ohio. 

It was dark when the train left Richmond, so that 
the scenery from that point was lost, but so much had 
be€n enjoyed through the busy day that the boys were 
glad to retire to their apartments in the tourist sleep- 
ers to get the third and last night's sleep as the guests 
of the Chesapeake and Ohio. 

The train arrived at Newport News about mid- 
night, but there was no attempt made to unload until 
daylight. "Reveille" was sounded earlier than usual, 
however, and as soon as the boys could be summoned 
out of their comfortable bunks, the regiment was 
formed and marched to an assigned camping place in 
a field near the outskirts of the city and on the banks 
of the James river. 

As soon as the camp was laid out and the work of 
putting up the shelter tents, or "pup tents," as the 
boys preferred to call them, was under way, details 
were made to unload such baggage as was absolutely 
necessary for the temporary camp. A few cooking 
utensils, besides the personal baggage of the men and 
officers was all that was taken off the train at that 
time. Breakfast was hastily prepared, the old story 
of digging sinks was completed and the men were 
allowed the privilege of the James river for bathing 
purposes. The salt water brought up by the tide was 
exact! V what the bovs needed, and the dirt and dust 



118 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

that had been collected in the long trip from Chicka- 
mauga park was afterward referred to as a sand bar in 
the stream. 

The shipping industry of Newport News is very 
interesting, and the big dry docks near the camp were 
the first places visited. There were several govern- 
ment vessels there and many of the boys Avent aboard 
to see just what they really were and to learn from 
personal observation if the navy about which they 
had heard and read so much and for which they had 
cheered so loudly and so often, were really all that was 
represented. It is needless to say that any suspicions 
that might have been entertained were hastily and 
permanently removed. 

While some of the men were bathing in the river 
or visiting the dry docks, others took hasty trips to 
Old Point Comfort and other near-by places of inter- 
est. The novelty of this also soon wore away and the 
boys were compelled to resort to the quiet of the camp 
and simply wait for orders. The weather was the 
hottest any of them had ever experienced and certainly 
with the thermometer at one hundred in the shade 
in a camp on sandy, unshaded soil where rain had not 
fallen for weeks, it was not to be wondered at that 
some of the men had no more energy than "the law 
allowed." 

It was here that the first real war-like order was 
received. It came to Colonel Coit, who was directed 
to designate one of the companies of his regiment to 
take charge of some dynamite guns that had been 
placed in the hands of the brigade. Captain Potter 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 119 

having had considerable experience as an artillery 
officer in the First Ohio Light Artillery when it was a 
]N"ational Gruard organization, was made one of the 
officers and his company (F) was made the "dynamite" 
company of the brigade. 

Acting Ordance Officer First Lieutenant Harry 
Graham was assigned to the new company and Lieuten- 
ant Clyde Modie was assigned to A Company to fill 
the vacancy made by the assignment of Lieutenant 
Graham. This made the company well equipped foi 
the work they were expected to do and the boys oi 
Company F soon became expert artillerymen. The 
only other change in the regiment was the discharge 
of Captain Pritchard of Company H. This placed the 
command of the company upon Lieutei.ant Smith, 
who retained command until after the regiment re- 
turned home. 

The parade grounds at Newport News were hot, 
sundy weed fields. The brigade camp was arranged 
just as it hL.d been in Camp Thomas, but there was 
not room for more than one regiment at a time on the 
parade ground. The regular evening; dress parade 
came off as usual, however, the Third Illinois taking 
the field first as the ranking regiment, and the Fourth 
Ohio next, which in turn was followed by the Fourth 
Pennsylvania. In this way each regiment was per- 
mitted to watch the parade of the other two. 

A delay at Newport News had not been expected 
by any means, and when orders were not forthcoming 
to board the transports for Porto Eico, the boys began 
to get uneasy. No complaints were offered the first 



120 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

night, but when the boys found that they must lie in 
their '"pup tents" on Tuesday night as well, there was 
considerable growling. As a matter of course the 
authorities at Washington lost little sleep on this ac- 
count, and those who did not like the idea of staying, 
staid just the same as those who did. Finally the 
order came on Tuesday to load all necessary baggage 
on the transport St. Paul. The Fourth Pennsylvania 
was ordered to the Seneca and the City of Wash- 
ington and the Third Illinois to the St. Louis. 
The St. Louis and the St. Paul were sister ships 
and had been used before the war as pas- 
senger ships on the Atlantic ocean. They had 
been leased by the government, however, and they 
were at this time classed as auxiliary cruisers. They 
were heavily armed and protected and the St. Paul 
had been placed in command of Captain Sigsbee, the 
naval officer who had grown in public favor from 
having been in command of the battleship Maine at the 
time she was blown up in Havana harbor. The dis- 
tinction of being taken away by this officer afforded the 
boys considerable satisfaction. 

Large details were made and placed at the hands 
of Captain Vincent and several lieutenants and the 
work of loading the transports was begun. The cars 
were taken to the piers of the C. & O. R'y and there 
loaded on barges or lighters and taken out to the 
transport. In the meantime the camp on the out- 
skirts of the city was broken up and the regiment 
marched down to the piers to wait for lighters to take 
the companies out also. It was expected that the 




. n, i^-^ wwti 




TEE FOURTH 0. T. I. 121 

Kghters would be there and that the re^ment would 
board the St. Paul at once, but after a long and weary 
wait, it was found that the men would have to sleep 
on shore at least one more night. The camp broken 
up, the baggage all packed, and everything in an un- 
settled condition, the regiment was in as unhappy 
plight as it could have been on American soil. Those 
who had retained their tents, put them up on the 
campus surrounding a beautiful summer casino. The 
owners of the building very kindly consented to the 
use of the veranda and the upper floor for the accom- 
modation of those who did not have shelter tents. 
The arrangement was as satisfactory as it could well 
have been, and with a few exceptions, where the boys 
got too near each other or where the boards of the 
floor were laid ''hard side up," they spent the night 
as happily as the existing state of expectancy would 
permit. 

Thursday morning did not bring with it the 
encouragement the boys had expected, but another 
long day of expectant waiting. Every time a whistle 
blew or a boat approached, everybody strained his eyes 
to see if it were the lighter. Dinner was served 
and still the boat did not come, but as suddenly 
as a summer shower, at 2 o'clock the regiment was 
called together by the sounding of "assembly," and 
when the "forward march" was commanded, the regi- 
ment followed the colors to the wharf, where in a few 
minutes one lighter took on the whole command. 
Several Columbus people had come to ITewport I^ews, 
and of course they were on hand to see the regiment 



122 TEE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

"heaA'e away." Half the city, where by their gentle- 
manly manner and soldierly conduct the boys had 
formed many acquaintances and friends, tui-ned out to 
give the regiment a parting cheer. 

The trip from the pier to the St. Paul was of little 
interest. The transport could not get near the pier, 
of coui'se, and she was anchored out in the bay near 
Old Point Comfort. The baggage had been loaded 
when the regiment reached the boat and the work of 
boarding the monster transport took but little time. 

When the regiment was all on the boys thought 
it was time to go, but there was a large supply of 
Kragg-Jorgensen rifles to load, so that it was not until 
the next morning that the crew of the St. Paul weighed, 
anchor and started on the voyage to the scene of the 
conflict. The first night (Thursday) was not given up 
entirely" to sleep by any means. There was too much 
to see and talk about. The great vessel had to be ex- 
plored as a matter of course and the seamen and 
marines had to be interviewed about the thousands of 
details, so that few indeed were the eyes that closed 
in sleep that night. 



TEE FOURTH 0. T. I. 123 



CHAPTER IX. 



OFF TO PORTO RICO. 



Sail on Friday— The Trip Througli the Harbor— The St. 
Paul— "Travel Rations"— "Prime Roast Beef —Hard 
Tack and Coffee— Boston Baked Beans— Tomatoes— One 
Dollar Pies— Sea Sickness— Religious Services at Sea— 
Fine Weather Voyage— Warlike Preparations— At the 
Harbor of Ponce— Cruise to Arroyo— Kragg Jorgensen 
Rifles— End of the Voyage— The Landing. 

Friday morning came one of the brightest of the 
year. The delightful sea breeze was cool, refreshing 
and invigorating and the boys were happy. The long 
wait at Newport News had worked their nervous 
systems into such condition that anything in the way 
of a change was welcome. When the beating of the 
huge engines was first felt, like the pulse of a strong 
animal, the boys all flocked to the rails to watch de- 
velopments. Certainly they did not watch in vam, 
for everything was new. The sight of the huge 
vessel pushing its big nose through the light swelling 
waves is a pretty sight at any time and especially to 
those who had never before seen the sea. The vessel 
passed on out the bay, passing Fortress Monroe and 
other places of interest, finally pushing itself out of the 
limits of Hampton Eoads and into the open sea. 
Here her course was set and gradually she passed out 
of view of land. The boys watched the fading out- 
lines of houses, steeples and hills \^ath an interest that 
one who is leaving his native land can only feel, and 



124 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

when the last trace of America died away, the boys 
slowly retired to ''secret places" to relieve themselves 
of the many misgivings occasioned by the "strange 
surroundings." 

The St. Paul could not have been made more 
comfortable for troops had she been built expressly 
for the purpose. The deep, roomy hold furnished 
storage room for the subsistence and other supplies, 
the snug, well-fitted state rooms furnished excellent 
quarters for the men, and the white smooth decks 
furnished splendid room for promenading. Now this 
would have been exactly true if the regiment had con- 
sisted of six hundred men instead of thirteen hundred, 
and if the subsistence referred to had been of a dif- 
ferent kind than that about to be described. As it was 
the men were crowded. The decks were reserved for 
the officers, with the insignificant exception of the 
lower deck and the space "fore" and "aft," which was 
devoted to the storage of quartermaster's stores and 
to the quartering of two companies. AVhat deck 
room was left was devoted to the use of the companies 
alternately — whose sergeants took them up to air out 
their clothing and for exercise. 

When the regiment left Ohickamauga park 
"travel rations" were issued. By travel rations was 
meant at that time, "Prime Roast Beef," "Boston 
Baked Beans," "Finest Quality Tomatoes," hard tack, 
coffee and sugar. This would have made an excellent 
luncheon for a hungry man, provided that it came as 
the menu would appear, taken from the labels as 
above, and onlv administered once, say each week; 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 125 

hut vvlieii it (-dme three times each day, seven days in 
the week and for more than four weeks in succession, 
there was room for complaint and every available part 
of the "room" was used. 

"The Prime Roast Beef" will remain in the 
memory of every member of the Fourth Ohio who was 
on that voyage as long- as he lives. The English 
language absolutely does not contain an expression 
more deceptive than that combination. It was the 
lowest grade of beef that could have been placed on 
the market, packed in tin cans, and after it laid in 
store rooms, freight depots and other repositories for 
unknown periods of time, it was handed to the enlisted 
men of the American army and they were expected to 
feel happy. In many cases the stuff was spoiled, if 
indeed it ever had been tit for the use of human beings, 
and that which was pronounced "sound and all right" 
had laid around in the sun or hot shade so long that it 
was absolutely sickening to look at, to say nothing of 
its use as a diet for men who were expected to perform 
the hardest kind of physical labor. 

"Boston Baked Beans" — the name itself is sug- 
gestive as a delicate morsel, but when it comes to a 
hungry man in tin cans after having laid days, weeks 
and months where ice was not known, it did not appear 
as a strengthening food or as a tempting viand. The 
beans, too, were often spoiled and disgusting even to 
think of, and served, as they were, without cooking 
or even seasoning, it is not to be wondered at that the 
boys became tired of that sort of living. 

The hard tack was the same variety that had been 
used at Camp Thomas and as long as the bread had to 



126 THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 

be hard, there was no just cause for complaint, but 
the coffee was simplj horrifying. This was all that 
was given the boys warm. "Hot" would be a better 
sounding word to use in the connection, but it would be 
misleading. A detail from each mess was sent to one 
of the ship's galleys, where buckets of water little more 
than tepid were issued. These buckets were carried 
back to the messes, where crushed coffee grains were 
thrown in, and after being allowed to remain undis- 
turbed for a few minutes, the concoction received a 
small addition of sugar and the slightly colored fluid 
was called "coffee." It was all that there was to be 
had and of course all the "kicking" that could have 
been done availed nothing. 

All attempts to describe the "Finest Quality To- 
matoes" could but be futile. Less narrow-minded 
gastronomic critics than vegetarians have pronounced 
tomatoes an excellent food, but had any one advanced 
such an argument before the enlisted men of the 
Fourth Ohio at that time, he would have been thrown 
overboard in less time than he could have apologized, 
even could one have been accepted. These tomatoes 
were stale, sometimes spoiled, sickening at best, and 
their effect on the moral and physical soldier was de- 
teriorating in the extreme. 

Who was responsible for this unnecessary suffer- 
ing it is not the object of this work to determine, but 
suffice it to say that the officers of the Fourth Ohio did 
all in their power to prevent it. Colonel Coit even 
placed his own standing in jeopardy by objecting to 
such rations, but his efforts were in vain. The regi- 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 127 

mental officers were compelled to take what was given 
them, hence the men were forced to accept that or 
none. 

While the regiment was enroute from Chicka- 
mauga park it was often possible for the men to visit 
restaurants or provision stores and spend part of their 
$15.60 per month for something to eat, but out in 
the "midst of the sea" there were no stores to be visited 
and he who could not eat what he was given was com- 
pelled to go without eating anything. 

Some of the ship's bakers proved to be generous 
individuals, and taking pity on the men offered to bake 
ordinary-sized peach pies at from twenty-five cents to 
a dollar. It is needless to say that few pies were sold. 
It might be added, however, that some were stolen. 

The officers of the regiment appreciated the cir- 
cumstances under which the men were placed, but 
they were unable to relieve the suffering. 

There was a time in the experience of many of 
the boys when the subject of food did not interest them 
in the slightest degree. The inevitable sea sickness 
came over them in spite of all their manly efforts to 
avoid it, and it was no uncommon sight to see an ex- 
pectant hero delivering all his stomach or his future 
contained into the deep blue sea. 

When the last dim outlines of Fair Columbia 
faded away beneath the horizon, the boys began to 
acquire an experience entirely novel. Aside from the 
view of the vessel and her spars and masts, her decks, 
huge stacks and intricate machinery, there was abso- 
lutely nothing on which the boys could feast their gaze 



128 THE FOURTH O. Y. I. 

except the sky above and the water below. Some of 
them watched the waves, but those who did were soon 
forced to go below to their bunks and wrestle with the 
agonies of sea sickness. It was soon learned that there 
are two stages of the disease: At the first the patient 
fears that he will die and at the second he is afraid 
that he will not die. There were a few of the men of 
the Fourth Ohio who did not suffer in either stage and 
these fortunate individuals found it the source of an 
exquisite but certainly a wicked pleasure in tormenting 
the poor fellows who struggled so nobly but so use- 
lessly to keep their heads up and their feet on the 
decks. 

An interesting as well as profitable incident of 
the voyage on the St. Paul was the religious service 
conducted by Chaplain Schindel on Sunday, July 
31. The service was not as largely attended as those 
at Camp Thomas, perhaps, one reason being that there 
was not room to accommodate all the regiment and the 
other being that it was at that time a physical im- 
possibility for the men to stand or even sit in one 
place long enough to listen to all of an ordinary re- 
ligious discourse. Chaplain Schindel himself suffered 
some of the agonies of coming sea sickness, and had he 
not reached his "lastly" at the time he did, the sermon 
would probably have been continued at another date. 

As had been done at Camp Thomas, the music 
for the service was furnished by the regimental band. 
Captain Sigsbee had suggested the text: Revelation 
xxi, 1, "There shall be no more sea." A touching 
reference was made to the life of Captain Sigsbee and 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 129 

the other seamen on board the St. Paul, and when the 
chaplain drew out the thought in his discourse that 
the sea represented shattered hopes, unfulfilled plans, 
etc., the desctruction of the battleship Maine was 
made an illustration that moistened every eye within 
the soimd of the chaplain's voice. One of the 
thoughts brought out in the sermon was sup-gested by 
the regimental clerk, Will Markeson. The sight of 
the waves as they rolled listlessly about, ever and 
anon striking each other and wasting their forces in an 
endless but fruitless struggle, thus illustrating the loss 
of many of the forces which are allowed to waste in the 
life of the average man, had suggested to the clerk 
a valuable lesson, and the chaplain decided that his 
hearers should profit by it. The sermon was an in- 
teresting and a valuable one, and will remain a lasting 
impression on the minds of those who heard it. 

This service is also interesting from the fact that 
it was the only one conducted by troops transported 
on the St. Paul while she was in the government 
service and the last one conducted on her decks be- 
fore she went back into service as a commercial liner. 

The weather was fine during the entire trip. 
There was a slight shower Monday evening, but the 
only effect was to cool and purify the atmosphere, and 
this was a most welcome change. Time drug heavily 
on the officers and men, and the few forms of amuse- 
ment that were possible to adopt soon became mon- 
otonous. 

Finally the boys who were on the lower decks 
heard a shout from the upper part of the vessel. 



130 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

Those who were above flocked to the rails; the band 
struck lip a merry tune and the word was soon passed 
to those who were in that part of the vessel where a 
view of the horizon could not be obtained, that land 
was in sight. It was indeed a grand sight, although 
the land that could be seen was merely the outlines 
of a small island off San Domingo, but the early 
morning sun lit up the tops of the broken hills so that 
the boys who had not seen anything but sky and water 
for three days, considered even that a most welcome 
sight. This was on the morning of Monday, August 
1st, and at about 6 o'clock. 

Land was almost constantly in sight from that on, 
but when the port of Guanico was reached a strange 
experience passed into the history of each man. The 
entrance to the harbor of the village could he seen 
very plainly and back in the harbor could be outlined 
the mastheads and bulk of a large vessel. The village 
of Guanico is only a small one, but the harbor is a 
good one and as heavy storms are of frequent occur- 
rence in Porto Rico and the surrounding waters, the 
possession of this harbor was at that time considered 
quite important. At the side of the large vessel could 
be seen a smaller one, presumably a gam boat, but 
even with the aid of glasses these vessels could not be 
distinctly made out. All the ship's guns were loaded 
and Captain Sigsbee took his place at the bridge. The 
St. Paul crept cautiously up to the harbor, signals 
being made to the strange craft, but without answer. 
Finally the gunboat started out to sea toward tbe St. 
Paul and the Ohio boys began to think that the time 
had at last come for them to see real action. 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 131 

As the gimboat approached nearer, however, it 
proved to be the United States monitor "Terror," and 
the larger vessel in the port of Guanico was the "City 
of Washington," loaded with supplies for our army. 
The sensations experienced by every one on board, 
however, while the identity of the vessel was in doubt, 
were the first of what was afterwards a series long to 
be remembered. 

Guanico is but an hour's sail from Ponce, the 
port, at which General Brooke intended to land his 
troops in Porto Rico. After a brief code conversation 
with the Terror, the St. Paul steamed down the coast. 
It was but a short time until the Massachusetts came 
alongside and delivered mail to the officers and sailors 
on board the St. Paul. A few miles further sail 
landed the St. Paul in sight of Ponce, and in the har- 
bor could plainly be seen the St. Louis lying in the 
protecting shadows of a strong American fleet. 

The first thing learned by the Ohio boys was a bit 
of news somewhat disappointing when considered in 
the light of their ambition to fight, that Ponce had 
sun-endered without a struggle; that the people had 
actually cheered the approach of the stars and stripes. 
Nevertheless, the band played "The Star Spangled 
Banner" as it never played it before and the St. Paul 
anchored for the night. 

It was rather disappointing to the men to listen to 
"taps" on lx>ard the ship. So near the presence of the 
enemy, they had hoped to sleep under arms, with a 
double strength of guards around an actual carap 0:1 
Spanish soil. Thev accepted their fate with a fair 



182 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

degree of submission, merely vowing that when they 
got a chance they would make up for all these hours 
of monotonous waiting. 

The regiment heard the first words of welcome 
early the next morning when a dusky native was 
rowed to the St. Paul. The skiff which bore him 
across the waves was protected by a sort of box canopy, 
the only evidence that he was more than an ordinary 
Porto Rican. He might have been the mayor of the 
city, and he might have been the governor of the 
province for all anybody knew or cared, but clamoring 
up the sides of the great vessel, he crawled over the 
rail onto the upper deck, and swelling up at the chest, 
he pointed to his home across the bay and grunted: 
"Ponce! Porto Rico! 'Mericano!" Then punching 
himself in the ribs, he pointed toward the scene of the 
victory in southern Cuba a month before and ora- 
torically remarked, "Santiag' surren', surren'." He 
had evidently prepared an eloquent address of wel- 
come, but that was as far as he could go and accepting 
the cheers the boys gave him as gracefully as a back 
county politician, he bowed another welcome and 
climbed back into his skiff as mysteriously as he had 
boarded the St. Paul. 

Thus finding that there was nothing for soldiers 
to do at that time at Ponce, General Haines was in- 
structed to take his brigade forty miles further down 
the coast and effect a landing at the small port at 
Arroyo. It was night when the regiment arrived 
there, so of course it was useless to attempt to land 
troops before morning. This was still worse to 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 133 

the boys and the growling was proportionately fiercer, 
but the effect was the same. The Seneca with the 
Fourth Pennsylvania lay nearest the shore, except the 
United States battleship Cincinnati, which occupied 
a commanding position of the port and the country 
immediately adjoining. Then came the St. Louis 
\vith the Third Illinois and the St. Paul with the 
Fourth Ohio, at least five miles further from shore than 
the other vessels. Lying peacefully at anchor near by, 
were the tugboats Stillwater, of Philadelphia, and the 
Gussie, of New Orleans. Swinging with the swell 
behind the larger vessels were a number of low, heavy 
lighters used by the natives of the island for drifting 
sugar from the shore to the large freighting vessels 
which took the principal product of the country to 
foreign consumers. The lighters were called "sugar 
bowls" by the sailors, because of their use. Those 
secured by the navy, however, had been used at Ponce 
for unloading horses and mules, forage and all sorts of 
supplies and stores. These were brought along for the 
purpose of transporting the men from the larger ves- 
sels to the shore. 

While the vessel was cruising along the coast to 
Arroyo, the ordnance officer. Lieutenant Graham, was 
busily engaged in collecting the old Springfield rifles, 
belts and bayonets which had been taken from Ohio 
and issuing in their stead the new KJragg-Jorgensen 
arms. The men were also given fine web belts with 
capacity for holding one hundred cartridges each, and 
new bayonets. The officers were at once set to work 
instructing their men in the use of the new guns and 
everything was bustle on the ship. 



134 THE FOURTH 0. F. /. 

On Wednesday morning, August 3, arrange- 
ments were begun for unloading the men. The Still- 
water and the Gussie came along side the St. Paul, 
the lighters were towed into position and after the 
Stillwater had pushed too near the big transport and 
had torn away the passageway on her port side, the 
Third Battalion and the non-commissioned staff and 
band, in command of the colonel and Major Sellers, 
climbed down the sides of the St. Paul and then into 
the lighters. The Gussie towed them to the shore 
and they were at once assigned to quarters on the 
outskirts of the village. 

The Third Battalion and headquarters had hardly 
reached shore when it was reported to the officers of 
the Cincinnati that the Spanish forces just beyond the 
town were throwing up earthworks. The Cincinnati 
at once began to investigate and seeing through glasses 
what aj)peared to be a number of men at work, she 
began to pump shells into the hills. Those back on 
the St. Paul could see the great volumes of smoke 
belch forth from the mouths of the guns of the Cin- 
cinnati and they could hear the sonorous report dis- 
tinctly enough, but they could not make out what oc- 
casioned the shooting. The St. Paul was too far from 
shore for rifle reports to have been heard and con- 
siderable fear was entertained lest the Third Battalion 
might have gotten into trouble. The fact that the 
lighters had all gone and that there was no possible 
way of assisting their comrades only made matters 
worse for the boys, and then when the St. Paul began 
to push still further out to sea, the disgust of those 
v,ho were left aboard could not be concealed. 



TEE FOURTH 0. V. I. 135 

"See here," said a stalwart soldier of C Company 
when some one suggested that the Third Battalion 
might need help, "them there fellers belongs to the 
Fourth Ohio. That's the fightin' reg'ment of this 
here bregade, and Maje Sellers is right there with 'em. 
Any time they ain't able to take care of their selves, 
somebod'll let us know." This patriotic remark had 
a good effect and the idea was carried from one to the 
other until the point discussed was what kind of noise 
these shells were making after they left the cannon. 

In the meantime the Third Battalion was also 
wondering what the mark of the Cincinnati really was, 
but they knew as well as they cared to know how the 
shells sounded as they sailed through the air. They 
went directly over the heads of the boys in camp and 
they made a noise that none of them care to hear 
again. It developed later on that the fears of the of- 
ficers were wholly unfounded, as no earthworks were 
found in the hills at that point after hostilities had 
ceased. 

As soon as the Third Battalion had been taken 
safely ashore, the Gussie came back for the First. 
Major Speaks was in command of this trip, assisted 
by members of General Haines' staff, the general 
having gone ashore before. This time the Gussie 
started for the open sea instead of toward the land 
and she made a circle of at least two miles before she 
started toward shore. The waves were high and the 
lighters were tossed about as though they were but 
chips. Each one contained about a hundred men, 
the most of whom were so sea sick that they did not 



136 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

care wlietlier they ever reached shore or not. Every- 
body was sick, from the major down to the ugliest pri- 
vate in the ranks, and if there were an occasional well 
man, he was too busy keeping out of the way of the 
fellows who were less fortunate, to appreciate the 
humor of the case, if indeed there could be anything 
humorous in such matters. 

Just why the St. Paul could not get as near the 
shore as the St. Louis, which was exactly like her and 
which lay at least five miles nearer shore, is a matter 
which the Fourth Ohio boys could not understand 
then and which has not been fully explained yet. 

It was dark when the First Battalion reached 
shore, but they were taken at once to the camp assigned 
in the morning. 

From no fault of their own by any means, the 
companies of the Second Battalion remained on the 
St. Paul one more night than the others. They em- 
barked under Major Baker as early Thursday morning 
as it was possible to leave, and indeed they were glad 
to return to the regiment. By direction of Colonel 
Coit, Companies H and M remained on board the St. 
Paul and under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel 
Adams and Captain Vincent unloaded all the officers' 
personal and the headquarters baggage. This was 
by no means an easy task, as the members of these 
companies voluntarily testified when they rejoined the 
command after it had reached Guayama. 

The first camp of the Fourth Ohio on Spanish 
soil was about three-quarters of a mile from the coast, 
on the site of an abandoned sugar mill and on the 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 137 

plantation of a Captain in the Spanish volunteer army. 
He had occupied the house up to within the time the 
American ships came in sight, when he took his family 
and his household effects and fled. The residence 
which he thus deserted became the headquarters of 
the Fourth Ohio on the morning of August 3. 

The house was built after the fashion common in 
tropical countries, set up on posts or supporters. "A 
house on stilts" was the description given by one man. 

The residence part of the house was reached by 
a flight of stairs from the outside with a landing on 
an overhanging veranda which commanded a view 
of the sea and the beautiful landscape toward the vil- 
lage. Near the house was a long shed used for shelter 
for the oxen and other animals belonging to the plan- 
tation. As many as could be crowded into this shed 
spent the first night there, while the others pitched 
their shelter tents or wrapped themselves up in their 
blankets and crawled into a cart or the old mill. 
There was another small building, but this was used 
as guard headquarters. The band and non-commis- 
sioned staff established their mess in the lower part of 
the house. 

As soon as the men reached shbre, a strong guard 
was placed around the new camp. The exercise of 
the march from the shore to the site of the camp wore 
off the sea sickness and the first thing the men did 
when they had secured quarters for the night was to 
look for something to eat. Fires were kindled and 
coffee was ground. Vessels of every description 
were put to use and before any one was hardly aware, 



138 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

the whole plantation was filled with the invigorating 
odor of coffee. Cans of beans, tomatoes and beef 
were opened and actually cooked, and while this was 
not the diet the appetites of the lx>ys really craved, 
it was nevertheless most tempting food when it was 
heated and thoroughly cooked to be served to men 
who had lived on cold rations for almost a week. Be- 
fore morning a pig and a calf and' several other ani- 
mals died in a very mysterious way and fresh meat 
formed a part of the breakfast of some. Strict orders 
were at once issued against foraging, and indeed dur- 
ing all the time the regiment was on the island there 
was very little if any thieving done, at least by the 
members of the Fourth Ohio. 

As soon as the routine of camp work was com- 
pleted, the men were permitted to go to AiToyo. 
There the little provision stores suddenly experienced 
a flood of prosperity they had never seen before. The 
British consul at An-oyo exchanged the American 
money for the soldiers for the native Porto Rican 
coin at the rate of two pesos for one dollar. At the 
stores could be bought eggs, fresh bread, cheese made 
of goats' milk, Spanish sausage, wines of every age 
and variety, cigars, tobacco that no American could 
use and dried vegetables. At the market places were 
offered for sale at what to Americans seemed phenom- 
enally small prices, cocoa nuts, oranges, bananas, 
limes, mangoes and other tropical fruits, although it 
was the advice of the surgeons that none of this be 
used. The advice was not heeded altogether, but 
it must be said that the men were very temperate in 
the use of the native fruits and vegetables and as a 
consequence, there were no evil results. 



THE FOURTH O. V. I. 139 



CHAPTEE X. 



THE FOURTH UNDER FIRE. 

^^rroyo— The People and Climate— Fir&t Day in Camp- 
Native Cigarettes— A Practice March— Orders from 
General Haines— Fresh Beef Issue— Accident to Colonel 
Coit— Major Speaks Takes Advance -Military Terms 
Explained— A Frenchman's Information— A Funeral 
"Procession"— The House "To the left"— Sergeant Rad- 
cliffe's Ride— Under Fire— Spanish Bullets and Spanish 
Marksmanship— Effect of Spanish Fire— Effect of 
American Fire— Line of Battle Formed— Unjust Re- 
ports—Spaniards Retreat— Capture of Guayama— The 
Flag Raising— The Spaniards Rally— Dynamite Guns in 
Action— First Night in Guayama. 

Arroyo was found to be a village of about tbree 
hundred people wbo depended for their living, such 
as it was, upon the work afforded by the near-by 
plantations and by loading freighting vessels by 
means of the lighters which were used in transporting 
the regiment from the St. Paul to the shore. The 
village and the natives made a combination that only 
one man in the regiment had ever seen before. He 
was corporal Ed. O. Thompson, whose home was in 
South America, but who had graduated from Ohio 
Wesleyan university at Delaware just before the war. 
He could read, write and speak the Spanish language 
very fluently and he was at once made regimental in- 
terpreter. Another member of the regiment whose 
lingual accomplishments stood him and the whole 
regiment in good stead was Private, afterwards 
"Corporal" Will Markeson. The service rendered 



140 THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 

bj these two men were especially valuable, not only 
to themselves and the regiment, but to the cause of 
the United States in Porto Rico as well. 

The houses at Arroyo, and in fact all over the 
island, are the typical low, flat-roofed cottages of 
Spanish countries. Houses were occasionally built 
high, but in most cases of this kind there were but two 
stories, the lower floor being a sort of surface base- 
ment. This part of the family residence was de- 
voted to the use of the goats, chickens, ponies and 
other family animals. The people were of all imag- 
inable shades of complexion, from the mythical black 
to the fairest. All spoke Spanish or French, with the 
exception of a few natives of the island of St. Thomas, 
formerly an English possession. These were all 
negroes, but they served with some degree of satisfac- 
tion as interpreters. 

Although the latitude is considerably nearer the 
equator than any point at which most of the men had 
ever reached, the climate was not nearly so hot as had 
often been experienced within the borders of the 
United States, and with a constant sea breeze stirring, 
the weather was fairly comfortable, provided one re- 
mained in the shade. Surrounding many of the 
houses were beautiful flower gardens, and the frag- 
rance from the plants gave the air a pleasant odor 
which added much to the pleasure of the day in camp. 

The first day in camp was passed for the most 
part in sight seeing. Notwithstanding the fact that 
the enemy was known to be in almost firing distance, 
the brigade officers were very lenient as to restrictions, 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 141 

and with the exception of strong picket lines and out- 
posts, there were few strict camp orders given. It 
was the wish of the officers that the men be given an 
opportunity to completely rest up from their long 
ocean voyage and to prepare for the hazardous work 
before them. 

The camp on Thursday night was more com- 
fortable than it had been the previous night, the sol- 
diers having had a better opportunity to arrange mat- 
ters. With fires and the additional rations that could 
be purchased from the native market, existence was 
much sweeter than it had been aboard the St. Paul. 

One of the most popular novelties of the new 
surroundings was the native cigarette. They were 
found to be stronger and of an entirely different flavor 
than the American article, but strange to say, many 
of the users of this form of narcotic learned to prefer 
them to the ''coffin nails" of their native land. 

Early the next morning the boys were told to 
pack up all their personal baggage and each one was 
given two days' travel rations. All that was said 
in explanation to this was that there was to be a 
practice march much the same as those at Camp 
Thomas, but embracing more time and territory. 

At regimental headquarters, however, the fol- 
lowing communication had been received: 

Arroyo, Porto Rico, Aug. 5. 1898. 
Colonel Ck)it, Fourth Ohio: 

You will move out your command toward 
Guayama as soon as you are ready. Have your ad- 



142 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

vance guard well ahead and keep point well in ad- 
vance of support. Two of the Sims-Dudley guns 
will follow your regiment well closed up. They 
should not take more than sixty rounds to the gun. 
Be careful to keep a good lookout on each flank. 
Your flank should be double the ordinary number. 
]reep me posted as to progTCss. I will be on the road. 
The Third Illinois will support your movement. 

P. C. HAINES, 
Brigadier General. 

About the time the regiment left camp, a load 
of fresh beef arrived from one of the supply ships 
which lay in the harbor at Arroyo. Company F, 
which did not leave at the same time as did the main 
column of the regiment, was given charge of this 
issue, with the understanding that teams be secured 
and the supply forwarded to the regiment at its first 
camp. 

The start for the "practice" march was not made 
as early in the day as had been expected on account 
of several unavoidable but unimportant delays. The 
regiment was formed, however, in due time, so that 
before 8 o'clock the rear of the column left the Arroyo 
camp. Instead of going east to take the main road, 
General Haines directed that the regiment follow a 
plantation trail which lead in a northwesterly direc- 
tion to a point in the road leading to Guayama, the 
capital of the province of Guayama. This province 
embraced that portion of central Porto Eico which 
extended along the southern coast. 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 143 

The appearance of tlie regiment as it started 
across the field was not unlike that presented at Camp 
Thomas except the mounts of the field and staff of- 
ficers. The horses belonging to the regiment and to 
all the officers had been sent on another transport and 
had not vet reached the regiment. They had landed, 
however, but they were at Ponce at the time now re- 
ferred to. There are no large horses in the island, but 
there is a small Spanish pony, and on these boney 
creatures the officers mounted, their feet extending 
almost to the ground. 

During the night of August 4th a battery of 
Pennsylvania artillery had arrived and gone into 
camp a short distance from the Fourth Ohio, and as 
the latter regiment was moving along toward the main 
road mentioned above, the artillerymen were leading 
their horses across the field to a nearby stream for 
water. Colonel Coit started to ride his pony around 
one of these horses, but while he was doing so the ar- 
tillery horse kicked at the pony and the hoof struck 
the colonel on the leg. The blow was a severe one 
and the colonel had to be lifted down from his little 
steed. He ordered the regiment to proceed, however, 
and Major Speaks of the First Battalion assumed 
temporary command of the regiment. A surgeon was 
hastily summoned from the artillery camp to attend 
Colonel Coit, but Major Semeans, the regimentaj 
surgeon, also appeared on the scene. It was seen that 
the injury sustained to the colonel's leg might prove 
serious and he was advised to return to Arroyo, but 
he refused to do so, and followed the regiment, assum- 
ing personal command a few hours later. 



144 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 



REFERENCE MARKS. 

Pn Cemetery, 

<V First camp in Porto Rico. 

. Point at which extreme "poiiu" of nd- 
"T vance guard was first fired upon. 

t Position of "C" Company when fir^ 
™ opened. 

-|- Position main column when fire opened 

r^ " A" Company deployed lines. 

Q "C" Company deployed lines. 

j~l " B " Company deployed lines. 

A "I" Company deployed lines. 

CT "E" Company deployed lines- 

• » Dynamite Gun's position, 

^ Out Posts (Fourth Ohio.) 

f^ Out Posts rrhlrd Illinois.) 

X Positions of Companies"!)." "G," "K" 
and " L." 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 145 

As soon as the regiment reached the main road, it 
was halted and Major Speaks reported to General 
Haines, who had been waiting. The general directed 
that one company act as advance guard and that 
Major Speaks assume personal charge of this duty. 
Company A was at once designated to take the ad- 
vance and it proceeded several hundred yards in ad- 
vance of the main column. 

A Company had not proceeded far until Major 
Speaks directed that with loaded pieces "flankers" and 
a "point" be thrown out. For the benefit of those 
readers who know nothing of military matters it is 
explained that "flankers" are detachments of troops 
deployed to the right and to the left of advancing 
columns to discover anything that might impede the 
progress of the advancing column, whether it be a 
large stream, a fortification or an enemy. The 
"point" is the extreme advance or "head" of the ad- 
vancing column. When a line of battle is formed, 
however, the presence and in most cases the exact lo- 
cation of the enemy is known and of course there is. 
no need of an advance or skirmish line to locate him 
or to determine in any way his strength. 

As the line of march was followed, all natives 
were closely questioned either by means of signs or 
through interpreters as to the location of the Spanish 
forces. It is a fact, surprising perhaps to most read- 
ers, that it was really not expected that there was at 
that time an enemy of any consequence within any 
significant distance. 

After an advance of perhaps a mile had been 
made, the flankers were strengthened in numbers and 



146 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

C Company was brought forward to serve as support 
of tlie advance. C Company advanced within about 
500 yards of A Company and at about tbe same dis- 
tance in advance of the main column, at that time 
consisting of B Company of the First Battalion and 
E and I of the Second and the whole of the Third 
Battalion. 

When this disposition of the advance had been 
made, the march was pushed with considerably more 
caution than had been hitherto observed. Finally a 
house was reached, over which the colors of the 
French nation were flying. The occupant of the 
house spoke English, but with a strong French ac- 
cent, and in his characteristic way explained to Major 
Speaks and Captain Wilson that the Spaniards would 
be found in trenches about two thousand yards fur- 
ther up the road. Their position, he said, could be 
distinguished by the presence of a cluster of trees 
bearing red blossoms. 

There were only a few soldiers besides the officers 
mentioned who had any knowledge of the information 
gained here, but those who were not had very strong 
suspicions that something was going to happen when 
they saw the preparation for trouble going on about 
them. The flankers were warned to proceed cau- 
tiously and they were advised as to the carrying of 
their pieces, barrels and magazines loaded. The ex- 
treme advance was again strengthened and the line 
lengthened so that the whole of Company A was now 
in the skirmish line, the extreme right extending as 
far as the hills to the right of the road, a distance of 
, about three-quarters of a mile. 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 147 

A short distance bejond the house where the 
Frenchman gave the important information as to the 
position of the enemy, a strange experience was 
gained by those in the road. It was the first time for 
them to mtness a Porto Rican funeral procession. 
The corpse in this instance was a small child; the 
casket which contained the remains was a ru*de wood- 
en box and the bier was the shoulder of the father. 
Several half-dressed natives followed on behind jab- 
bering away in their native tongue at a rate too lively 
to characterize any sorrow by any means. The party 
had passed the regiment, and not having the slightest 
idea that it was a funeral procession, the attention of 
the officers was not attracted to it. They were going 
in the direction of Guayama, the town which lay at the 
end of the proposed march, and not thinking it advis- 
able for any one to go aJiead to inform the enemy, if 
indeed one existed, as to the approach of the regiment, 
the party was halted. They made a series of inco- 
herent exclamations and doubled themselves up so 
hysterically in making signs that the officers in charge 
of the advnnce asked them in the wordless language 
to open the box. They did so and there was exposed to 
\-iew a sight which none who witnessed it will ever for- 
get. If any had entertained doubts as to the fact that 
ihc men composed a funeral party, those doubts were 
removed more forcibly than eloquently when they 
saw the half decomposed body of the child. 

Some of those officers had little ones in their own 
homes and they easily con.--idered the sorrow of the 
broken-hearted mother who had spared this little one, 



148 TEE FOURTE 0. V. I. 

and the funeral was permitted to proceed, with strict 
orders to tell no one what they had seen on the road. 
It was evident from the expression of their faces and 
the signs made by the men that they promised not to 
say anything, but they evidently did not redeem their 
promises, for when the "point" reached the Spanish 
outposts, it was given a reception that showed that the 
enemy knew just about where and when the advance 
would reach the most desirable point for firing pur- 
poses. 

Passing on toward Guayama a few rods. Captain 
Wilson called the attention of Major Speaks to a part}- 
of people near a house to the left of the road. It was 
but about two hundred yards from the main road and 
opposite a point about one hundred rods in advance of 
where the "point" had then reached. The party 
seemed to be composed of people dressed in white and 
they appeared at that distance to be women. Field 
glasses were trained on the spot, but nothing definite 
could be made out. Finally convincing himself that 
the party was not one of Spanish soldiers, the major 
directed Kegimental Sergeant Major Radcliffe to ride 
across to the house and see what was there and to get 
any information he might be able to gather. It was 
the sergeant's birthday anniversary, and he did not 
consider the presentation of this order as very com- 
plimentary to the occasion, but he went over, think- 
ing as he did so of the many good times he had had 
back in Ohio and wondering if history in Ohio would 
ever repeat itself. 

He rode towards the house, but the first informa- 
tion he received was from observation, for he rode 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 149 

through the party of "women," who in that case were 
goats. There were some people at the house, however, 
and from these he learned that there were Spanish sol- 
diers at Guayama. While Sergeant liadclift'e was 
making this reconnoiter, the point of the advance was 
ascending a gentle slope just west of a small stream. 
There was a culvert across the stream at the road and 
the major and those with him had just reached this 
point. The culvert was undergoing repairs at the 
time and was temporarily out of use, but a by-road 
led into the field at the right and out again to the road 
a few rods across the stream. 

Just about the time Sergeant Radcliffe returned 
from his little trip, and about the time the point had 
readied the top of, the slope and the officers and 
party had reached the point where the road parted into 
the field, a sharp crack was heard from the top of the 
hill. An instant later a shrill whirring noise was 
heard in the air, directly overhead; this was succeeded 
by another and then in rapid succession a score of 
ether sharp reports, followed by the whirring, singing 
noise. 

Several members of the point had advanced so 
far beyond the crest of the hill that they could plainly 
see about fifty Spanish soldiers, in position to defend 
the approach to the city. It did not require a long- 
drawn out discussion by any means to determine what 
the noises were and it did not require an eloquent 
appeal for the men to dodge behind trees, rocks and 
cactus bushes. It was the report of the deadly 
Mauser that the bovs had heard and the disturbances 



150 THE FOURTH 0. T. I. 

in the air were made by the leaden messengers that 
had called home the sons of Columbia at Santiago a 
few brief weeks before. 

Just who was the object of the first fire, will 
probably never be known, but whoever he was may 
congratulate himself upon the fact that the Spaniard 
who fired it was not an expert at the use of the rifle, 
for not a member of the advance guard was struck at 
any time. The honor of firing the first shot at the 
enemy, however, is laid claim to by Private Charles 
Hughey, a member of the point who had reached 
the hilltop. 

The members of this squad returned the fire of 
iho Spaniards and then slowly retreated to the culvert 
referred to before. Every one present as a matter 
of course sought shelter and then a steady fire was 
poured into the place where the enemy was supposed 
to be. This was a matter which had to be guessed at, 
for there was not a Spanish soldier in sight, and as they 
used smokeless powder, there was nothing to mark 
their position. It was reasoned that inasmuch as the 
bullets were whizzing either directly over the heads 
of the men or striking the gravel in their immediate 
vicinity, and that while they were at the foot of the 
hill, those who were firing were surely somewhere at 
the top, certainly not behind the ridge. The order 
was, therefore, to shoot at the top of the hill, or at 
any object that might be used as shelter for a lurking 
Spaniard. 

As evidence of the fact that the Spaniards were 
overshooting their mark, if indeed they were shooting 



THE FOURTH 0. V. /. 151 

at the Americans nearest to them, is evidenced by 
the fact mentioned before that not a single member 
of the extreme advance was wounded. Private John 
O. Cordner, however, a member of Company C, the 
command which was now acting as support to the 
advance ^ard, was wounded in the right knee. The 
ball passed directly through the limb, without strik- 
ing any bone, but at the time the regiment was mus- 
tered out of the service of the United States the 
wound had not entirely healed. About the same 
time Clarence W. Riffie, a private in A Company was 
struck by a Mauser, the bullet passing through the 
fleshy part of both legs. His wound, like that of 
Private Cordner, was not healed at the time he was 
discharged. 

After the firing had been kept up for about a 
half hour or from a few minutes after 10 to 10:30, 
Major Speaks directed that the men begin to advance 
toward the hill, keeping under cover all the time as 
much as possible. The boys had occupied snug posi- 
tions along the side of the hill, in the culvert and at 
other convenient places, but now they began one at 
a time to get bolder and to creep along the edge of the 
ditch at the roadside, toward the top of the hill. 
Major Speaks, Captain Wilson and Lieutenant 
Krumm had but one order to issue and that was to 
"keep quiet." "They are just afraid of us, boys, as 
we are of them," encouraged the major, "so just be 
careful and pump it in to them." The boys certainly 
"pumped it in" and at a rate entirely too lively for 
the personal comfort of the Spaniards at the top of the 



152 THE FOURTH 0. T. I 

hill, for they retreated toward the town as rapidly as 
the men of the Fourth Ohio approached them. 
When the top of the hill was finally reached, there 
were no Spaniards in view, and they had ceased firing 
entirely. 

Here Lieutenants Modie and Grandstaff of A 
Company, who had remained in command of their 
platoons, were called in and word was taken back to 
Colonel Coit and General Haines, informing them of 
what had been done thus far. A Company had acted 
as advance, C as support and B as reserve. F Com- 
pany had followed mth the dynamite guns and the 
entire First Battalion had thus been engaged. There 
were but two companies left of the Second Battalion, 
I and E, the remaining two, H and M, having been 
left aboard the St. Paul to take charge of the unload- 
ing. What was left of the Second Battalion was sent 
to the advance under Major Baker, with instructions 
from General Haines for Major Speaks to depend en- 
tirely upon his own judgment for the disposition of 
these five companies. The Third Battalion, under 
command of Major Sellers was thus left to act as the 
support of the firing line, the Third Hlinois Regiment, 
in command of Colonel Bennit, acting as reserve to the 
whole. This was the only part played by the Illinois 
regiment in the capture of the city of Guayama, yet 
in nearly all the accounts sent at the time to the 
Eastern press, the Third Illinois received as much 
credit as did the Fourth Ohio. One correspondent 
stated that Guayama had been captured by "the Third 
Illinois, assisted by the Fourth. Ohio." 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 153 

Major Speaks at once decided to make a strong 
move toward the city. He realized that with that 
number of troops it would be impossible to sun*ound 
the city, especially when the strength of the enemy 
was not known and when there were no means of 
gaining that information. The fii'st move was to 
form a firing line and B Company, under Captain 
Wliite was ordered into the field to the right. As 
soon as this company had taken the position to be oc- 
cupied in the line, C Company was sent out, to extend 
its line from the right of the road to the left of B 
Company. I Company was sent over to act as sup- 
port of B Company and to extend its right as far as 
the portion of A Company, which had gone as a flank- 
ing detachment into the hills at the right of the road. 
What was left of A Company and E Company was 
then ordered to the left of the road and the advance 
was begun. 

While this preparation was going on, the Spanish 
outposts were reinforced. From the top of the ca- 
thedral in Guayama, the Spaniards could see every 
movement made by the regiment, but as they were 
concealed in the bushes of cactus, palms and other 
thick tropical foliage, it was utterly impossible for the 
American soldiers to learn the position of the Span- 
iards except from the sound of the bullets or the re- 
port of their pieces. 

The advance was made under extreme difficulties. 
There were sharp cacti, thick underbrush, swamps, 
barbed wire fences and defenses to surmount, and in 
fa(>t everything possible to impede the advance of the 



154 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

regimeut, yet the line pushed slowly un, pouring as 
it proceeded, a most deadly fire into the town and into 
the brakes where the enemy was supposed to be con- 
cealed. On not more than two or three occasions 
was the enemy seen at all, and when they were seen, 
their backs were toward the Fourth Ohio. In the ad- 
vance on the town, there was but one man wounded. 
He was Stewart Mercer of E Company, but the wound 
was but a slight one. One B Company man had the 
sight shot from his gun, others had holes shot through 
their hats and other strange things to happen them, but 
miraculous as it seems, there was not a man lost and 
only three wounded. 

It was not a difficult task to dispose of the enemy, 
but the work of pushing through the fields was a seri- 
ous task and the progress was slow. The Spaniards 
kept up a serious fire, but they seemed to be retreating 
all the time. After they were driven into the town, 
instead of taking a firm stand, when the circumstances 
were even more in their favor than they had been be- 
fore in the field, they retreated on through to the hills 
beyond, leaving the town to the mercy of the invaders. 

It was some time before the regiment really knew 
that the town was theirs. When the advance through 
the fields to the outskirts had been made, and when 
some of the suburban streets had been reached, the ad- 
vance was more rapid. When it was seen that the 
Spanish fire had again subsided. Major Speaks ordered 
a halt. This was at the very edge of the town and he 
did not feel justified in leading the men into the 
streets to be shot down from the housetops and win- 



TEE FOURTH 0. F. /. 155 

dows without reconnoitering the situation, but at this 
juncture Colonel Coit arrived on the scene and re- 
sumed command of the regiment. The colonel was 
suffering intense pain at that time, the result of the 
kick by the horse, and indeed had he heeded the ad- 
vice of the surgeons and his friends he would not have 
accompanied the command at all. 

The colonel determined to allow the men to take 
a brief rest and then to go into the town, and moving 
quickly through the streets, he hoped to escape serious 
loss and to reach the other edge of the city, thus 
catching the Spaniards in their own trap. But in this 
case, plans of conquest were useless, for the enemy 
had gone. Before the start was made, a window was 
seen to raise and a head to peep out from behind a 
wooden shutter. A dozen rifles were leveled at the 
window, but a gesture from the colonel lowered them. 
In another moment another window opened and 
another head was exposed to view. Then another 
shutter was pushed slowly open and finally not only 
heads but shoulders were seen. Finally hands began 
to waive and signs to be made, but no one knew 
whether these signs were friendly signals to approach 
or whether they were evil designs of the enemy to 
lure the regiment into the streets to be massacred. 
Finally a man walked out upon the roof of a house 
waving a white handkerchief, and other natives ap- 
peared on the streets. This was considered unmis- 
takable evidence that there was no more danger and 
the march into the city was begun. 

Colonel Coit placed himself at the head of the 
Third battalion and marched rapidly into the streets. 



15G THE FOURTH O. V. I. 

The companies that had been out in the firing line 
resumed their advance, through houses, across lots and 
over fences, all in a mad race to reach the center of the 
city first. The honor of reaching the plaza first is 
claimed by several. There is no official report decid- 
ing the matter, and it is not the intention to take up 
the question here, but the man who first set his foot 
on the property of the crown of Spain in the public 
square of the city of Guayama, must certainly have 
experienced the proudest moment of his life. 

Whoever he was, he did not stand there alone 
many seconds, for the Third Battalion on the one side 
and the other two from the other sides were madly 
rushing toward the colors, and in less time than is re- 
quired to record it, the whole regiment was assembled 
in front of the Capitol of the province of Guayama. 
Everybody cheered as he went and everybody con- 
tinued to cheer when he had reached the square. The 
regiment had done excellent work, every man in it 
had helped to do the work, and every one of them had 
a right to cheer. 

But all the cheering of that day was not done by 
the men of the Fourth Ohio. There were others there 
who had still better reason than they to raise the voice 
which God had given them, to cheer the final freedom 
which He had sent them. It was a happy day in the 
history of that quaint little city. Men cheered and 
women cried; children ran like wild creatures, shout- 
ing as loud as their little throats would permit, "Vivan 
los Americanos." Their happiness knew no bounds 
and no one attempted to restrain their demonstrations. 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 157 

They kissed the hands of their deliverers and fell at 
their feet to worship them. They opened wide the 
doors of their homes and the best of the land was of- 
fered in honor of the great event. As soon as it was 
possible to reach the top of the Capitol the regimental 
colors were planted there, and Guayama was no longer 
a Spanish province, but an American colony. 

The ceremony of raising the American flag over 
the captured city was probably not attended with the 
eclat that would have been given it under different 
circumstances. The band had been drilled in the 
duties of the hospital corps and the band men had 
done excellent service in carrying litters and perform- 
ing other work usually devolving upon the hospital 
corps all day. Their instruments had been left at 
Arroyo, hence all the music there was to add joy to 
the already joyous occasion was the music of the little 
birds that seemed to take up the glad song of victory 
and of freedom, and of the men, women and children 
who joined in one glad refrain. 

The flag was carried to the top of the building by 
the regular color guard. Those who were present 
and who helped to fasten the starry banner to the staff 
were Captain M. L. Wilson, regimental adjutant; 
Sergeant Major Frank C. Eadcliffe, Color Sergeant 
McDonald, Color Guards Alger of Company H, C<>r- 
poral Thrall of Company A and T Darte Walker, cor- 
respondent to "Harper's Weekly." 

While the regiment was assembled the "alcalde" 
or mayor of the town, through an interpreter, made 
an address of welcome to the American soldiers. 



158 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

The iDterpreter on this occasion was Emanuel Lucin- 
arius, a gentleman who had been educated in the 
United States, who understood the English language 
and spoke it fluently, and who afterwards proved to 
be a very useful friend to the regiment and to its 
officers. 

Colonel Coit also took advantage of this, the first 
opportunity, to thank the members of the regiment 
for their excellent work, and to congratulate them 
upon the victory of the day, but he had hardly gotten 
the words from his lips when the whirring of the bul- 
lets was again heard, and it was soon learned that the 
flag was the object of renewed firing. This was kept 
up for a few moments when a still greater danger 
developed. Investigation showed that all the Span- 
iards had not left the town and that those who had 
remained were doing what had been expected they 
would do, i. e., fire upon the men from the houses. 

Colonel Coit closed that address more abruptly 
than any he had ever closed before in his Hfe. He at 
once ordered the Third Battalion to the northwest 
part of the town to repel any attack that might be 
made. It was well that this was done and that it 
was done as soon as it was, for there is no doubt that 
had this part of the city been left unprotected, the 
hard work of the day would have been for naught. 
As it was, the Spaniards had returned to within range 
of the city and they were firing at the town at a lively 
rate when the Third Battalion arrived on the scene. 

Unfortunately little provision had been made for 
the dynamite guns. There were no horses and the 



THE FOURTH 0. 7. /. 159 

guns had to be dragged along the road by the men 
themselves. They did not reach the scene of action 
in time to be turned upon the town, but they came in 
for an important part in the defense of the city after 
it was captured. The guns were taken out to the city 
limits and planted in a commanding position. Then 
the hills where the Spaniards were known to be con- 
cealed were treated to a bombardment they had not 
experienced since the day they were created. Huge 
charges of dynamite were thrown across the fields, 
which, when they struck the earth, tore everything 
in their path. Great holes in the ground were torn 
up and rocks, dust and pieces of timber and roots were 
thrown high in the air. It is needless to say that this, 
added to the effective rifle fire of the Third Battalion, 
had the desired effect, and the enemy did not again 
attempt to disturb the Fourth Ohio at Guayama. 

As soon as the Third Battalion returned to the 
city, strong guards were posted all over the town. 
Private William Walcut, of D Company, was placed 
on guard at the principal comer, within a few yards 
of the Capitol building. At a house near him, several 
shots had been seen to be fired and several times a 
man with a long black beard was seen to appear on a 
veranda. The shots came very mysteriously, and as 
there was no smoke, it was not known to an absolute 
certainty that they came from the house mentioned 
except as could be judged from the report of the rifle. 
One of the shots was well aimed and Sentinel "Walcut 
was wounded in the foot. 



160 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

This created considerable excitement and the 
house was entered. The man with the black beard 
was Chief of Police Blanco, an avowed Spanish sym- 
pathizer, and there is no doubt but that he was the 
man who fired the shoi which wounded Walcut 
The house was entered by Colonel Coit in person, ac- 
companied by several men, and when they came out 
they had some arms, a Spanish flag and several pris- 
oners of war. Among them was Blanco. They were 
all taken to the provincial jail and locked up, a strong 
guard being placed over the jail. 

When everything had quieted down, it was al- 
most dark and arrangements were begun for the night. 
Company B was detailed as guard in the to\vn and the 
other companies were stationed as outposts on the 
north and west sides of the city. The Third Illinois 
took charge of the other approaches. The men that 
were left were permitted to camp for the night where- 
ever they chose and some pitched their tents in the 
street, others in the public buildings and others in the 
plaza. Most of the shelter tents and other baggage 
was discarded in the advance on the city so that many 
of the men were compelled to seek shelter under 
roofs or sleep in the open air. 



THE FOURTH 0. 7. /. 161 



OHAPTEE XI. 



THE ROAD TO CAYEY. 

"Battle" of Guayama — Comments on the Capture — Effect ol 
This Duty Upon the Regiment — General Haines and the 
Fourth Ohio — Restlessness in the City — Reconnoiter of 
the Road — Spanish Camp Located — Orders for Second 
Reconnoiter — A False Alarm — A Break for Guayama — 
Stories of Ambush — Their Effect — Excitement at Head- 
quarters — Regiment Made a Rescuing Party — American 
versus Spaniard — Dynamite Guns in Action — ^A Make- 
Shift Caisson — Barrio De Las Palmas — Other Expe- 
ditions. 

When the officers of the United States army were 
instructing the officers of the Fourth Ohio as to the 
preparation of blanks in the final muster out of the 
regiment at Columbus in January, 1899, one of them 
said: "In preparing the discharges of the men, you 
will in recording the military record of each, give thos^ 
credit who were in action on August 5th at Guayama, 
Porto Rico, as the government has dignified that en- 
gagement with the name of "battle." 

The simple facts that only two regiments were en- 
gaged on the one side and less than a thousand men on 
the other and that only a few American soldiers were 
wounded and none killed, does not show any insignifi- 
cance to the engagement. The Fourth Ohio was there 
in obedience to orders from the commanding officers 
and the spirit with which they performed their duty 
as it appeared to them, would have been the same had 
there been a milHon Spaniards to oppose them. Be- 
sides that, the work which they accomplished was cer- 



162 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

tainly one worthy the record which, the regiment had 
made while it was a part of the Ohio National Guard. 
The capture of the city of Guayama at that time meant 
more than the mere defeat of a detachment of Spanish 
troops. Guayama was a city of five thousand in- 
habitants, and the province of which it was the po- 
litical, social and commercial center, contained twelve 
thousand people, who represented many million dol- 
lars of wealth. This was all lost to the Spanish gov- 
ernment and some of the hardest fought battles of 
the Civil war resulted in smaller gains to the federal 
government. 

ISTor should the value of that day's work be 
measured by the remarkably short list of wounded. 
It certainly was no fault of the Fourth Ohio that not 
more of their number were injured. They placed 
themselves in the path of the Spanish bullets and for 
four long hours they were subjected to a hot fire from 
an enemy which knew every foot of the contested 
gi-ound, while the Ohio boys were in a strange land 
and among a strange people. The loss to the regiment 
was not confined by any means to the damage done by 
Spanish bullets, for the severe physical strain of the 
day had a telling effect indeed, and the sweltering 
rays of the tropical sun did far more damage than the 
poorly aimed Spanish rifles were able to accomplish. 
Captain White of B Company, who had been in the 
thickest of the fray from the time the assault was 
begun until the regiment reached the city, was com- 
pletely overcome by tlie heat and spent the night at the 
hospital in terrible agony. 



THE FOURTH 0. F. /. 163 

Many of the boys were overcome by the heat, and 
it was not an uncommon sight durino- the advance 
upon the city to see men throw up their hands and 
with a shriek, sink to the earth. These sights would 
probably have had a serious effect on men less de- 
termined than the Fourth Ohio, for from every ap- 
pearance the men thus fallen, were mortally wounded, 
and this was what their comrades naturally supposed 
had happened. 

There are many reasonable objections to the ser- 
vice of volunteer troops, and there are many strong 
arguments for their efficiency, but it is very seldom 
that any confidence is reposed in volunteer regiments 
by general officers until they have once been under 
fire and proved themselves. General Haines had 
watehed the Fourth Ohio all through its course of 
training at Chickamauga park. He had personally 
superintended their marches, rifle practice and otber 
drills and had learned to know that they were made 
of the stuff that goes where duty calls. The Fourth 
Ohio had never as such been under fire, but they 
conducted themselves on the occasion of the capture 
of Guayama with so much judgment, precision and 
determination that General Haines freely announced 
that he could trust any officer or man in the regiment 
with any duty which falls to the lot of the soldier. 

He formed a warm personal acquaintance with 
the officers and with many of the men. Anything 
which was in his power to bestow was freely given to 
the Fourth Ohio, and that regiment received every 



164 THE FOURTH 0. T. 1. 

post of honor whicli General Haines liad the privilege 
of giving. 

On the night after the capture the town was in a 
very restless condition. A night attack was feared 
by the citizens, and property holders were fearful lest 
Spanish sympathizers would set fire to their buildings 
and escape to the Spanish camp in the hills beyond the 
city. Many arrests were made during the night, of 
men who it was claimed were avowed Spaniards, 
and before morning the little provincial jail was 
crowded with prisoners of war. These were all re- 
leased, however, on their promise not to take up arms 
against the United States or to assist in any way the 
Spanish cause. 

Those citizens who remained quietly at their 
homes, whatever their sympathies might have been, 
were not disturbed, and with but few exceptions these 
liberal offers were not abused. The officers of the 
regiment had taken quarters for the night in a hotel 
adjoining the City Hall, and during the night a man 
wearing citizen's clothes was caught lurking near these 
quarters with a large "machete" concealed on his 
person. What his intentions were, could only be 
judged by appearances, and he was hurried away to 
the jail to join his friends and neighbors. 

The soldiers and citizens continued to be the best 
of friends, the people ever ready to share their last 
comfort with the soldiers who had brought to them a 
new government. There were few households which 
did not contain an abundant supply of wine of various 
grades and quality, and this was liberally bestowed 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I- 165 

upon the Ohio soldiers. Some of the boys became 
too ''sociable," however, and the regimental guard 
house was pretty well filled up at reveille on the morn- 
ing of the 6th. 

The night having passed without serious trouble, 
General Haines directed that the day be spent so far as 
possible in rest. Guards were made as light as the 
circumstances would permit and the outposts were 
made as comfortable as possible. Some of these were 
some distance from the city, and had an attack been 
made upon them, they would have had to have f ough' 
like demons to have held their positions or to have 
gained the city in safety. D Company was on the 
top of a mountain next the city, but it was a hard 
and dangerous climb to reach their post, and they 
would have had a hard time retreating to the city had 
such an emergency presented itself. The other com- 
panies were stationed at a bridge across the stream 
"Kio Guayama," along the road from the city to the 
bridge and at other points along the little stream as it 
flowed along the outskirts of the city to the sea a few 

miles away. 

In the afternoon, Colonel Coit directed companies 
A and C to make a short reconnoitre beyond tlie 
bridge before mentioned, to discover if possible the 
position and strength of the Spanish forces and to 
report on the condition of the road. 

Corporal William Markeson, who had now been 
relieved of the duties of regimental clerk and returned 
to his company (F), accompanied this expedition in 
the capacity of interpreter. Every native that was 



166 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

met was questioned as to what he knew and the 
answers as to the number of Spaniards in the hills 
varied from one dozen to several thousand. It was 
definitely learned, however, that the main force was 
near the top of the mountain range, five or six miles 
further up the road and that they were busily en- 
gaged in throwing up intrenchments and preparing 
to receive an attack. No reliable information could 
be secured as to their strength. 

The road leading from Guayama, extended from 
that city through Cayey, Caguas and Kio Piedras to 
San Juan, the capital of the island. It had been 
constructed by the Spanish government, and was 
found to be one of the finest Maceadam roadways in 
the world. It wound itself in gTaceful curves around 
the hills, keeping in the valley as much as possible, 
and cutting itself along the bluffs and by the side of 
precipices like a quiet mountain stream. At many 
places its foundation was the very rocks and at other 
places it was filled with closely packed stone which 
had been ground almost into powder. The heavy 
rains and the absence of freezing had rendered the 
road as hard as cement and its surface was almost as 
smooth. 

The engineers had made ample provision for the 
little mountain gorges which would otherwise have 
destroyed the road in the course of time, and beautiful 
masonry marked the places where these little streams 
threaded their way through the rock under the road- 
way. 



THE FOURTH 0. F. /• 167 

At one of the turns in this road there was found 
evidence that the Spaniards fully expected that the 
American troops would push on toward Cayey. A 
clump of bushes was so arranged that a dozen men 
could conceal themselves and command a view of the 
road for a distance of a hundred yards. Had an 
enemy approached, they could have fired several vol- 
leys into its ranks and then dropped down the em- 
bankment and retreated to the next turn, where these 
tactics could have been repeated. In this way it 
would have been possible for fitfy Spaniards to have 
repelled the advance of an entire regiment of Ameri- 
can soldiers. 

After the party had reached a distance of six 
kilometers from the city, the lengthening shades of 
night warned the officers that it was time to return 
to the city. The advance guard and flankers were 
called in and the march was made back to Guayama. 
Both A and C companies returned to outpost duty 
and the other companies remained at the posts to 
which they had previously been assigned. 

The discoveries of the reconnoitering party con- 
vinced the officers that the Spaniards were preparing 
to carry on a stout defense against any advance of the 
Americans rather than an offensive campaign, and the 
fear of an attack was lessened. Saturday night was, 
therefore, spent in greater ease than the previous 
night, and Sunday was spent in much needed rest. 

The baggage from off the St. Paul had now 
reached the regiment at Guayama and most of that 
which had been discarded on Friday between Arroyo 



]68 THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 

and Guayama had been collected. H and M com- 
panies liad reported for duty, tlie men liad rested 
and the entire command was in better condition to 
hold the city or to make an advance than they had 
yet been since the landing at Arroyo on the 3rd. 

General Haines established brigade headquart- 
ers in a large brick building at the southwest corner 
of the principal square, overlooking the plaza, and 
Colonel Goit established regimental headquarters in 
an abandoned residence at the rear of the cathedral. 
Arrangements were made to remain in the city until 
more forces should arrive before another advance 
would be attempted. 

It was of course necessary to keep informed as 
much as possible as to what was going on in the 
Spanish camp and on Monday the following order 
was delivered to Colonel Coit: 

Headquarters Second Brigade, 
First Division, First Corps, 
Guayama, Porto Rico, August 8, 1898. 
Colonel Coit, Commanding Fourth 0. V. I.: 

Sir — The brigade commander directs that you 
send a reconnoitering party on the road to Cayey 
toward the place where the road has been blown up. 
This party need not be a large one, not more than one 
company, strong enough to take care of itself and 
fall back in case of attack. The object is to secure 
information and not to bring on a fight. Lieutenant 
Darrow will accompany the party to sketch the 
■country. Very respectfully, 

0. W. FEISTTEIT, A. A. G. 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 169 

A few moments after the receipt of that order, 
the following was issued: 

Headquarters Fourth O. V. I., 
Guayama, Porto Rico, August 8, 1898. 
Regimental Order No. 77: 

Captain Walsh will, when relieved by Captain 
Bostwick, make a reeonnoiter with parts of Compan- 
ies A and C, leaving Company C at a point about 
two miles beyond Guayama bridge. This expedition 
is for information only and will be made with care. 
Lieutenant Darrow and interpreter will accompany 
the party. You will avoid an engagement and re^ 
treat in order if you meet with aforesaid opposition. 
A written report with all information will be made 
as soon as possible. By order 

COLOKEL COIT. 

M. L. WILSON, Capt. Fourth O. V. I., Adjt. 

In obedience to these orders companies A and C 
left camp at about 8 o'clock Monday morning, August 
8th. Advance guards and flankers were thrown out 
and the command proceeded cautiously up the moun- 
tain. The main column remained in the roadway, 
but the line of flankers extended on either side, in the 
valley at the right and on the mountain side at the 
left. It was very hard work to climb over the rocks 
and across the precipices and progress was therefore 
rather slow. It was not possible for the main column 
to proceed faster than the flanks which were to pro- 
tect the movement, so that by noon the command had 
not gone more than four miles from the bridge. 



170 THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 

Colonel Coit had accompanied the expedition, 
to be on the ground in person in case anything should 
happen, as well as to familiarize himself with the 
condition and outline of the country. Lieutenant 
Darrow, of General Haines' staff, was also a member 
of the party. It was his duty to make a topo- 
graphical map of the road and the adjacent country. 
The entire reconnoiter was in anticipation of a gen- 
eral advance from Guayama to San Juan, and for this 
reason a great deal of importance was attached to the 
movement. 

As had been learned through the expedition on 
Saturday before, the main force of the Spaniards 
occupied a position at the top of the hill, where they 
commanded a complete view of the road from the 
bridge to their own camp. The Spanish officers 
could have seen the expedition leave camp and prob- 
ably did see their every movement while on the 
march. 

After the command had reached an abrupt turn 
in the road, glasses were trained at the hillside to the 
right and there the Spaniards were in plain view. 
Men could be seen with the naked eye workinsf in the 
trenches, which had already been made a most formid- 
able defense. There were rifle pits at the side of the 
road, artillery trenches in the hill sides and embank- 
ments thrown up in the middle of the passage. 
Bridges and culverts had been destroyed with dyna- 
mite, and an American cavalry or artillery detach- 
ment would have found it Dractically impossible to 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 171 

have climbed the mountain even if there had been 
no defense of the road by Spanish arms. 

The expedition made careful notes of all they 
saw and of' what they could learn from the natives, 
but they had not quite reached the bridge referred 
to in the communication from brigade headquarters. 
They had just passed one of the sharper turns in the 
road when a hundred Mauser rifles rang out in the 
fresh mountain air, directly above and in front of 
them. An instant later the shrill whistle of the bul- 
lets was heard directly over their heads and in another 
moment a second volley was fired. Fortunately the 
aim of the Spaniards, as it had been at Guayama, was 
very bad, and the bullets passed harmlessly over the 
heads of the Americans or struck the side of the cut 
in the roadway. Some of them, however, struck the 
surface of the road and had the effect of giving the 
Americans to understand that they were standing on 
very uncomfortable ground, to say nothing of the 
unhealthfulness of the surroundings. > 

The position of the command at this time was 
very peculiar. The road did not extend more than a 
few feet in any one direction at one place, but the 
curves were sharp, bounded on the one side by the rock 
at the side of the mountain and on the other side by 
a deep precipice which afforded even as much danger 
as the bullets from the Spanish soldiers. The head 
of the column had reached a point behind a steep bluff 
where it was impossible for the bullets to reach them, 
but the rear of the column was in direct range of the 



172 THE FOURTH 0. 7. I. 

fire which was becoming thicker and more deadly 
every minute. 

The firing had come like a thunderbolt from a 
clear sky and for a moment the officers and men of 
the command were dumfounded. The order from 
General Haines had been to "fall back in case of at- 
tack," but here was a situation that no one could 
have anticipated. To advance was in disobedience 
of orders and would have been murder on the part of 
the oflicers commanding it, and to retreat was plain 
suicide; still, at the rate the bullets were coming 
from the Spanish trenches, it was plainly seen that the 
command could not remain in that position many 
minutes. 

The expedition had been placed in charge of 
Captain Walsh, but the colonel was there and of 
course the responsibility of getting out of the dilemma 
at once devolved upon him. Colonel Coit's first com- 
mand was to stand firm, but it was soon seen that 
that would not be safe, for the Spanish soldiers were 
aiming lower at every volley. 

Finally it was decided that the men should re- 
treat around the bend in squads so as not to attract 
the attention of the enemy. The first squad waited 
until they heard the shower of bullets pass over them, 
then they made a mad rush around the curve before 
the Spaniards could fire another volley. The first 
squad made the trip successfully and then the next 
tried it. Those who were waiting in the meantime, 
hugged mother earth as closely as it was possible for 
them to squeeze their bodies into the shallow ditch 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 173 

at the side of the road where they patiently waited 
their turn to slip behind the friendly embankment. 

After a few squads had gained the protection of 
the turn in the road, some one repeated a command 
to "retreat two by two." Another person gave the 
alarm: "The cavalry is coming! Run for your 
lives!" In the absence of a second order, these cries 
confused the men so that no one knew just what 
was really expected of him. Some of the men be- 
came frightened and ran down the road as fast as 
their legs could carry them. Sergeant McConnel and 
his squad, which had at first formed one of the flanks, 
but which, owing to the rough condition of the coun- 
try had dropped back and acted as the rear guard, 
at once placed himself in the middle of the road and 
declared that he would kill the first man who at- 
tempted to pass him. 

At the same time Lieutenants Reynolds and Alex- 
ander regained control of the men in their own com- 
pany and order was soon restored, but not until the 
following had been wounded: Noble W. Horlocker, 
Company C, right ankle; Harry L. Haynes, Com- 
pany C, left shoulder and right arm; Samuel Jones, 
Company C, knee; William Edgington, Company 
A, thigh; Edward Thompson, Company K, wrist. 

Some of the men, however, had managed to get 
down the road before Sergeant McConnel could stop 
the mad retreat, and they rushed pell mell down the 
hill to the bridge where M Company was then sta- 
tioned. They related a marvelous tale of how the 
expedition had been ambushed and how almost the 



174 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

entire command was either killed or captured, and in 
a few minutes all sorts of wild rumors had reached 
regimental and brigade headquarters. 

Everything at Guayama was in a state of wild 
excitement. Stragglers kept coming into the city, 
telling still wilder stories so that every one was at a 
loss to know just what had really happened. Major 
Baker was in command of the regiment when the first 
rumor reached the city, but at that time he happened 
to be away from headquarters and could not be found. 
Colonel Adams soon appeared, however, and he at 
once ordered those companies nearest the city to go up 
the road and assist the reconnoitering party if that 
party still existed. Major Baker hastened to his bat- 
talion and Major Speaks, hearing the rumor at a dif- 
ferent part of the city, returned in all haste to regi- 
mental headquarters only to find the building de- 
serted. 

Company B was still on guard in the city and 
they had theu' hands full maintaining order, for be- 
tween the soldieirs and the citizens all was chaos. 
Major Sellers and Colonel Adams soon had the out- 
posts well in hand and as many men as could be 
spared from these companies were hastened up the 
road. M Company, which was already at the bridge, 
had started for the scene of trouble before the regular 
command reached it, but it was soon overtaken and 
the regiment marched up the road in regular order. 

As the reinforcement advanced, they were met 
by stragglers from A and C Companies who were 
totally unable to give any intelligent information as 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 175 

to what was really going on or what had actually 
taken place. Careful questioning of these men failed 
absolutely of result and the relief had to push its 
way up the steep mountain road, expecting every 
minute to receive a terrific fire from an enemy in 
ambush. Caution and speed were combined as far 
as possible, however, and the regiment hurried to the 
rescue. 

Strangely enough, the command reached the 
re^ionnoitering party ^vithout being fired upon. 
As soon as the party was reached, explanations 
were hastily made and a course of action de- 
termined upon. The Spaniards had as a mat- 
ter of course observed the approach of the fresh 
troops, but they supposed that the reinforcement had 
come for more than to merely cover the retreat of 
their comrades. They had, therefore, themselves re- 
treated to a stronger position further up the hill and 
had there awaited an assault. As soon as they dis- 
covered the real purpose of the movement of the ad- 
ditional troops, they grew somewhat bolder and re- 
opened the fire. 

The column had not yet exposed itself on the 
side of the curves next the enemy and the fire from 
the trenches was therefore of no serious conse- 
quence. It was not deemed advisable to return to 
the city without giving the Dons a dose of their own 
medicine, and with that end in view. Colonel Adams 
ordered several companies up to the top of the ridge 
at the left of the road. In single file, the men 
climbed up the steep rocky bank and pushed on to the 



176 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

top of tli€ ridge, where they could secure the range of 
the Spanish trenches. As soon as they were in po- 
sition the men were given the command to fire and 
three hundred Krag-Jorgensen rifles sent messengers 
of lead into the Spaniards with as much vim as the 
Spaniards had fired upon the helpless A and C 
Companies. 

In the meantime the dynamite guns were hurried 
forward. No horses had yet arrived, so it was neces- 
sary for the men themselves to drag the heavy guns 
up the hill. An attempt was made to press the little 
Spanish ponies into this service, but they were too 
small and the effort had to be abandoned. The 
ammunition for the dynamite guns was taken to the 
scene of action in heavy ox carts, and this trip forcibly 
demonstrated the uselessness of this primitive beast 
in warfare. That the guns ever arrived in position at 
all was a wonder to all who saw the trip made. 

The rifle fire was kept up at a lively rate until 
the guns were 2"otten into position, when the small- 
arm fire was stopped. It had been returned bv the 
Spaniards, but the bullets fiew so far over the heads 
of the men on the ridge that they could hardly hear 
t*hem whistle. The Spaniards did not seem to pay 
much attention to the rifle fire, but as soon as the ar- 
tillery was "let loose" there was commotion every- 
where in their camp. The first shot was aimed too 
low, but it was near enough to suit those at whom it 
was aimed and when the shell exploded with a terrific 
roar, Spaniards could be seen running to the top of the 
hill and to places of supposed safety in every direc- 




REPRODUCED FROM A WATER COLOH 



THE ROAD TO GAYEY. 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 177 

tion. One of the shots was afterwards said by a 
Spanish soldier to have fallen in the midst of the 
trenches and to have killed outright twenty-seven 
Spanish soldiers besides maiming many others. 

After a number of shots had been fired into the 
hills from the dynamite guns, the rifles were permitted 
to give them a pai'ting volley, and the regiment re- 
turned to the city. 

Considerable newspaper discussion followed this 
engagement, but in this case the Fourth Ohio re- 
ceived all the credit and there was nothing but credit 
to be given. N^o criticism was oifered whatever to 
the action of the regiment, but those who had broken 
to the rear and who beat a disorderly retreat were 
held in considerable contempt by their comrades, at 
first, but when all the facts in the case were learned, 
and when the men fully declared that they heard an 
order to retreat, the suspicions against them were re- 
moved. The rear of the column had certainly been 
in a dangerous position and the men were certainly 
justified in doing all they could in self-preservation, 
but it was a difficult task for them to convince their 
comrades that they had actually heard an order to 
run. The commanding officer of C Company was 
relieved from command shortly after the party re- 
turned to the city, but he was afterwards restored and 
remained in command at Guayama until after his 
resignation was accepted, when he returned to his 
home in Columbus. ISTo charges were ever preferred 
against the members of the two companies who had 
started the wild rumors, although it was thought at 



178 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

the time that this would be done. The place where 
the firing occurred was named "Barrio de Las 
Palmas," and the engagement is known by the same 
name. 

Several other parties were sent up into the hills 
after that, but not more than a half dozen were sent 
at a time and these always avoided the main road. 
By creeping along the edge of the hill it was possible 
for small parties to get good views of the Spanish 
camp, and by the time all was in readiness for the 
general attack, General Brooke had been supplied by 
his scouts with maps and even photographs of the 
Spanish defenses. 



THE FOURTH 0. T. I. 179 



CHAPTER XII. 



ONE WEEK OF REST. 

The Fourth Appreciated by People at Guayama — A General 
Cleaning Up — Beautiful Scenery — Early Impression of 
Porto Rico — Commissary Condition — Fresh Meat at the 
Outposts — The Water Supply — Horses and Reinforce- 
ments Arrive — Hospital Established — Rumors Again — 
Preparations for Advance — Final Orders Issued — Death 
of Sam Hill, 

The regiment now settled down for a week of 
quiet rest. There was at that time nothing to do un- 
til more troops arrived, for it was apparent to all that 
a movement toward Cajej would be useless except 
bv an overwhelming force. The Spaniards were 
known to be in a strong position and that they were 
m force, and besides this, they were acquainted with 
the entire surrounding country. IS^ature had given 
them an almost impregnable fortress, and they were 
in excellent position to hold it; this they were evi- 
dently determined to do. 

While the troops rested, however, the general of- 
ficers and their staff officers were as busy as bees. 
Some were collecting information as to the strength, 
position and plans of the Spaniards, others were ar- 
ranging for the coming of additional troops, others 
were making reports, while still others were doing 
all in their power to make those comfortable which 
were already at hand. 



180 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

The regimental headquarters in the rear of the 
cathedral was the center of attraction for the citizens 
of Guayama. The other regiments of the brigade 
were in camp outside of the city and their members 
were very seldom seen on the streets, but the people 
of Guayama had learned that it was the Fourth Ohio 
which had made them free from Spanish rule, and 
anything they had or could secure was gladly turned 
over to the soldiers. This kind feeling was warmly 
reciprocated, and soldiers and citizens were the best 
of friends for a long time, but a change came, which 
will be treated later. 

While the regiment was in the city, word came 
that the St. Paul was under orders to return to the 
states and that she would take mail from the soldiers 
if delivered within a certain time. There was a mad 
rush for stationery, but there was very little to be 
found except the ofRcial paper at the City Hall. 
This was Spanish, and not only afforded excellent 
writing paper, but it made an appropriate souvenir of 
the victory to send home. Thousands of letters were 
written to dear ones at home on this paper. Postage 
stamps were nowhere to be found, but they were not 
essential to the sending of the letters. By a ruling 
of the postofRce department, soldiers in the field were 
permitted to send mail matter without postage pro- 
vided they wrote their names across the envelope, 
marked it "Soldiers' Mail," and had the same ap- 
proved by a commisioned oificer. The letter was sent 
just as though it bore the usual stamp and the postage 
was collected at the office where it was delivered. 



THE FOURTH O. T. I. 181 

This arraBgoment was a great accommodation to the 
boys, as it was almost an impossibility for them to 
carry postage stamps with them, and now that they 
had reached a foreign country, United States stamps 
could not be secui-ed. 

Before the regiment left Guayama, however, the 
United States government had established a very ac- 
ceptable postal service, and it was not only possible 
to purchase postage stamps, but postal money orders 
could also be secured and it was possible to register 

mail. 

While the reg-imental headquarters were in 
Guayama during that week, the soldiers themselves 
were not always there. Company B had been re- 
lieved as provost guard by a company of the Third 
Illinois, but matters did not go as they were supposed 
to move and the Fourth Ohio company was returned 
to duty in the city. The other companies of the 
regiment remained at outpost duty at different sta- 
tions near the city. 

The troops in town were quartered in buildings, 
while those out of town were obliged to sleep on the 
ground under the little shelter tents, which afforded 
very little resistance indeed to the heavy rains which 
fell for hours at a time. By pitching their tents, 
however, beneath the trees and in the shelter of banks 
or crevices, the boys managed to get along fairly well. 
Those men near the Guayama bridge availed them- 
selves of near-by sheds for sleeping quarters. 

The commissary department of the Fourth Ohio 
during all this time was indeed in a sorry condition. 



182 TEE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

There was canned beef and tomatoes and some beans, 
but aside from this very little could be procured. 
There w£.s hard tack^ but it was a poor quality; 
there were fresh beef issues, but they came so seldom 
that the boys did not get time to appreciate it; there 
was coffee and sugar, but not in the abundance it 
should have been, and it was an uncommon thing for 
a man to drink a gill of coffee, eat a small piece of 
hard tack and stand guard all night in the presence 
of the enemy. 

When the fresh beef was issued, the company 
cook details improved the opportunity to work off 
some of the beans and tomatoes in very liberal propor- 
tions. By purchasing a few native vegetables with 
the pennies which could be collected in the compan- 
ies, it was possible to prepare a suspicious looking 
mess which the cooks called "soup," but which in 
most cases was a base deception. The "fresh" beef, 
it should be understood, was beef that had been con- 
tracted for in the United States, and it had been ship- 
ped from the west to the seaboard, then transferred to 
transports and shipped to the soldiers in Cuba and 
Porto Rico. It was packed in ice, then taken out in 
lighters and brought to shore, where it was once 
more loaded on ox carts and dragged from the coast 
towns to the soldiers inland. Handled either in the 
hot tropical sun or in the heavy rains natural to 
these climates, the reader can easily imagine how 
"fresh" the beef was when it reached company cook 
quarters. The dealings of government contractors 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 183 

for subsistence was, after the war, the subject of in- 
vestigation by a board appointed for the purpose. 

The market at Guayama afforded a limited sup- 
ply of food, consisting of oranges, bananas, mangoes 
and other tropical fruits, most of which was forbidden 
to the men by the surgeons. Fresh and salt water 
fish could be purchased in abundance, and milk, com, 
yams, cheese and eggs could also be secured. The 
one difficulty, however, was the scarcity of funds with 
which to purchase these things, as the men had seen 
the paymaster but once since they had been in the 
federal service. 

The outposts of the Spaniards and the Americans 
were almost in range of each other and oftentimes 
at night when a cow or a horse would be seen wan- 
dering through the hills, the animal was mistaken 
for an enemy and shot by a picket man. The mis- 
take could not be discovered, of course, until daylight, 
and when the "enemy" proved to be a cow, sheep or 
goat, the company near whose post the killing had 
been done, invariably enjoyed a feast of their own. 
The neighboring plantations were well supplied vnth. 
chickens also, and if the owners could be made out 
in any way to represent sympathy for the Spanish 
cause, foraging expeditions were organized against 
the place and the trophies secured helped to make 
merry the hearts that watched night and day over the 
approaches to the captured city and the camp of their 
comrades. 

The march from Camp Thomas to Rossville, the 
long car ride to the coast, the voyage on the St. Paul, 



184 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

the severe weather and the hard work since the boys 
had landed on the island, were causes which combined 
to render every thread of wearing apparel and 
blankets in a condition for the laundry. The men 
had several chances to get small articles of wearing 
apparel washed "on the jump" from time to time, but 
even then they alv/ays ran the risk of never seeing 
the clothing again, because of the uncertainty of the 
movements of the regiment. When it was seen that 
nothing would be done until reinforcements an-ived, 
the boys with one accord started on the hunt for 
laundries. Some of them had lost all the clothing 
they possessed except what they had on their backs, 
and these had to go to Rio Guayama and play wash- 
erwoman until their clothing was clean and then sit 
on the bank for a sun bath to w^ait for their clothes 
to dry. They then dressed and returned to camp, 
postponing the work of ironing to "some sweet day." 
The washer^vomen of the city reaped a harvest 
of which they had never so much as dreamed. They 
had all they could do and more, but they kept at it 
night and day, determined to do all in their power 
for the comfort and convenience of the soldiers, and 
at the same time to earn a livelihood for themselves. 
These women would undertake to wash for a whole 
compan}' almost at a time and w^ould promise to have 
every garment washed, ironed and returned in less 
time than it w^ould have been possible for them to 
have collected it. Their work, however, was entirely 
satisfactory, but their manner of selecting clothing 
and their persistency in getting it mixed up as to 



TEE FOURTH 0. V. 1. 185 

owners was the source of no little annoyance to their 
patrons. 

There was no regular laundry in the city. All 
this work was done by women who took the clothing 
to the creek and there removed dirt and filth with the 
aid of soap, cold water and hard work. The garments 
were each given a good coat of cocoa soap and then 
they were squeezed and beaten on rocks. There were 
no wash boards used, such as American women use for 
that pui'pose, but these women squatted down in the 
middle of the stream and rubbed the clothing on the 
rocks wdth their hands or with corn cobs and smooth 
board paddles. 

After they had been thoroughly cleansed in this 
way they were carefully rinsed and spread out upon 
the clean pebbles to dry. During the process of dry- 
ing, the women would take cocoanut shells of water 
and sprinkle them. This, with the aid of the bright 
sun, rendered every piece as immaculately spotless 
as when it left the store. Rio Guayama was literally 
lined with washerwomen during the entire stay of 
the soldiers at Guayama. 

The process of ironing was much the same as that 
used in the states except that the irons were rude 
instruments to say the least, and that they were 
heated on charcoal burners. After the clothing had 
all been ironed and carefully folded, it was piled in a 
heap and delivered according to the memory of the 
one who had collected it. The result of this method 
was that the clothing of the regiment became pretty 
thoroughly mixed up, Init as it was exactly alike ex- 



186 THE FOURTH O. V. I. 

cept linen, no one suffered a great deal. The com- 
promising feature of it all, was, that ten cents paid for 
the largest washing that could be delivered. Prices 
advanced later on, however, and it was an every-day 
occurrence for a soldier to pay fifty cents to get a 
shirt washed or go to the creek and do it himself. 

The bathing facilities at Guayama were better 
even than they had been at Chickamauga park. 
Nearly all the better residences in the city were 
equipped with cement bath basins, fitted out for 
shower and tub baths. The privilege of these was 
extended to the soldiers, and they availed themselves 
generally. Many deep pools could be found in the 
Kio Guayama and into these the boys plunged their 
sweltering, dirty bodies to be cleansed and refreshed. 

Another advantage which the duty at Guayama 
possessed over duty at Camp Thomas, was the beauti- 
ful scenery which stretched out in every direction. 
The plain extending from the coast to the city of 
Guayama was skirted on the east by a high and beau- 
tiful mountain ridge, extending almost the entire 
length of the island. This ridge was clothed with a 
most luxuriant tropical vegetation except in the more 
even spots, where the natives had cleared it of its 
natural dress and had appropriated spots for cultiva- 
tion. The rich southern sky for a back ground made 
a view of the eastern mountain ridge one of the most 
beautiful landscapes that could be imagined. Guay- 
ama was inland a distance of about three miles from 
the deepest part of a gentle bay. The mountain 
range followed the curves of the beach, so that the 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 187 

ridge encircled the valley, along the western bank of 
Rio Guayama, and then changing its course again 
to a westerly trend, stretched away to the other ex- 
tremity of the island, apparently burying itself in the 
sea below and in the clouds above. 

Like a veritable bed of roses the coast plain 
reached from the foot of the hills off to the water's 
edge, dotted with fields of waving cane and orna- 
mented with palms and ferns whose beauty could not 
be excelled outside of Eden itself. Asa back ground 
for this view, the waves of the Carribean sea danced 
against the mossy banks of the plain and then lost 
themselves in the deep blue bosom of the mighty sea. 
The sight of a single sunset as it lingered at the top 
of the beautiful mountain range for a moment, then 
dropped behind the hill to be reflected by the sea 
below in the fleecy clouds above, giving to the whole 
a coloring Avhich no brush could imitate, was well 
worth a journey to the spot to witness. 

The weather was certainly hot. It was almost 
impossible for a sentry to pace a beat in the sun for 
more than a few minutes mthout being completely 
overcome. The water supply in the city was secured 
from large springs in the mountain and conveyed to 
the residences and other buildings through thin iron 
pipes, but it was very warm, and such a luxury as 
ice could not be secured under any circumstances. 
There was an ice plant at Ponce, however, and the 
supply for the hospital had to be carted across the 
country over a rough, rocky road forty miles long. 
The hills were warm to their center from the heat of 



188 THE FOURTH 0. T. I. 

the sun above and the heat of the interior beneath, 
&o that the water never was and probably never will 
be cool. The water for drinking and cooking at the 
outposts was secured from the streams and springs. 
It was all very warm and unrefreshing, so that the 
men suffered considerably from thirst. 

A short time after the city had been captured, 
the telegraph line which had been abandoned by the 
Spaniards was placed in repair and in this way the 
signal corps opened communication with Ponce. 
Until that time messages had to be carried by dis- 
patch boats along the coast. 

Newspapers and news associations were obliged 
to file their reports at St. Thomas, a Danish island, 
about seventy miles from Guayama. The reports 
from Guayama were taken to Arroyo and there de- 
livered to special news boats, which carried the mes- 
sages to St. Thomas or Jamaica. No mail had, of 
course, been received from home as yet, and the men 
^vere practically in ignorance of what was going on 
at Washington or Madrid. A meager report would 
occasionally reach the camp through the newspaper 
boats and these would instantly magnify into the 
wildest rumors that could possibly have been in- 
vented. 

The health of the men during the first week 
was far better than any one had anticipated. Several 
men had been overcome by the heat and there was 
one or two cases of typhoid fever, but these were 
supposed to have been developed at Chickamauga 
park. With everything apparently in their favor, 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 189 

with a prospect before them of just such an experi- 
ence as they had longed for and worked for in the 
Camp Thomas training school, the spirits of the boys 
remained as bright as they had been since the regi- 
ment left Columbus in May. 

It was under such conditions as those just de- 
scribed that the first impressions of Porto Rico were 
formed. The men thought that they had surely 
reached a paradise and they were happy. Some be- 
gan to lay plans for remaining there after the war. 
Others wrote home to their friends, telling them what 
a resort had been found, and urging them to follow 
as soon as possible. The more enthusiastic attempted 
to purchase real estate and to make arrangements 
for settling down for the remainder of their lives. 

On August 10th the hospital corps and the regi- 
mental detachments amved at Arroyo. A field hos- 
pital was established there, but it was removed in a 
day later to near Guayama. Other troops began to 
appear, cavalry and artillery, besides the escort which 
had covered the march of the hospital outfit from 
Ponce. The horses and mules belonging to the 
brigade arrived also, and final preparations began 
making for the advance toward Cayey and San Juan. 
News reached Guayama that Spain had sued for peace 
and that hostilities would soon cease, and it was de- 
termined that if anything should be done it must be 
done at once in order to hold as much territory as 
possible when the end should come. Orderlies and 
staff officers could be seen hurrying from one head- 
quarters to the other all day on the 12th, and that 



19U THE FOURTH 0. V. 1. 

night the commanding officers were called to brigade 
headquarters, where the plan for the movement was 
explained to them and each was assigned the duty 
which he was to perform. 

About 11 o'clock Thursday night, the battalion 
commanders were instructed to have their companies 
ready to move at 5 on the morning of the 13th. All 
the companies had now been sent to outpost duty, 
Company B having been again relieved. They were 
not disturbed that night, however, but the order waa 
communicated to them early the next morning. 

Shortly after the battalion commanders had re- 
ceived their instructions, Captain Sellers, of D Com- 
pany, called at headquarters and asked for Major 
Sellers, of the Third Battalion. When he found the 
major, the captain reported one of the saddest acci- 
dents that could have happened throughout the whole 
campaign. 

One of the outposts guarded by Company D waa 
at a lonely spot on the north side of the mountain, 
east of the Guayama bridge. This post was in com- 
mand of Lieutenant Turner, and one of the members 
of the Guard was Private Sam Hill. Private Hill 
had been relieved and had gone to his tent until big 
turn would again come to take post. It is supposed 
that he arose in his sleep and wandered from his tent. 
Those on guard at the time could not have noticed 
him leave his tent, hence his comrades were in ig- 
norance of his absence. 

The hills and the valley below were known to be 
full of Spanish guerillas and picket duty on these 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 191 

posts was very dangerous. One of the guards who 
had relieved Private Hill and the relief of which he 
was a member, noticed an object moving in the dark- 
ness near his post and he at once commanded "halt." 
The challenge was unheeded, but it was repeated only 
to be again unheeded. The moving object had every 
appearance of a human being, but in the darkness it 
was impossible to distinguish between friend and foe. 
Before offering the third challenge the sentry called 
out, "For God's sake speak or I'll fire!" and at this 
somewhat irregular but conscientious challenge, it 
seemed to raise up as if to spring, and the sentry fired. 
Investigation showed that the object had in- 
deed been a human being and that it was Private 
Hill. The sentry who had fired the fatal shot was 
crazed with grief when he saw the lifeless body of his 
comrade, but he had done his duty and was blameless. 
The news of the accident fell like a pall upon the 
entire company, but every member realized that no 
person was in any way at fault, and the body of the 
unfortunate man was laid tenderly away in the gov- 
ernment burial lot at Guayama. 



192 THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



BEGINNING OF THE END. 

Imposing Scenes— Breakfast in the Rain— Expedition As- 
signed to Fourth Ohio— March Begun— Guide "Backs 
Out" — Plan of Operations— A Rocky Road — A Hot 
Day — Danger in Straggling— Lunch and a Short Rest- 
End of the March^ — Hostilities Suspended — Retraced 
Steps — Friday and the Thirteenth — Intense Suffering- 
Temporary Camp— Hospital Call— Permanent Camp. 

On the morning of August IStli the members 
of the Fourth witnessed a sight thej could never 
forget. A light rain had fallen during the night in 
the city, but out where the companies were located, 
the rain was quite heavy and continued until some 
time after daylight. The men were obliged to pre- 
pare breakfast and get ready for the day's work in 
this kind of weather, but there was very little 
gTumbling except that they had not been given a 
warning sooner of what was to come. The regiment 
assembled early and before 7 o'clock it was reported 
to General Haines ready for duty. 

It is not necessary to give the general plan of 
the movement in this connection, even if the details 
were at hand. The object was of course the conquest 
of the island and the immediate capture and possession 
of the city of Cayey, the capital of the province of the 
same name. General Brooke was on the scene of 
action and personally conducted the initial move- 
ments. The Fourth Ohio had been recommended to 



THE FOURTH 0. T. I. 193 

him as a command which could be thoroughly relied 
upon, and from this recommendation and from what 
he had seen at Camp Thomas, the regiment was as- 
signed the most difficult part of the movement. 

The regiment assembled on the road leading 
from Guayama to Cayey, between the city and the 
bridge. Before they could proceed on the march, 
however, and while they were in line. General Brooke 
and his entire staff passed up the road. Following 
the general and his staff came a large detachment of 
cavalry, the most of them regular, one troop, the 
First City Troop of Philadelphia. The firm, reso- 
lute faces of these men as they galloped along the 
line of the Fourth, gave the boys a feeling of confi- 
dence and they were more anxious than ever to 
measure strength with the Spanish forces. 

The rear of the cavalry column had hardly 
pasrjed when the sonorous rumbling of artillery was 
heard as it rattled over the road into position beyond 
the bridge. Then came Colonel Bennit at the head 
of the Third Illinois and then the Fourth Pennsyl- 
vania, commanded by Colonel Case. Knowing the 
situation as they did, the Fourth Ohio at first regarded 
with considerable suspicion the result of this expedi- 
tion, for they knew full well that from their position 
in the hills the Spaniards could see exactly what was 
going on and that they were as a matter of course pre- 
paring to receive any attack that might be made. The 
resolute appearance of the men who had passed -^dth 
the cavalry, however, and the heavy guns that spoke 
destruction inevitable, manned by men who were as 



194 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

anxious to fight as the members of the Fourth Ohio 
could have ever been, and these, backed up by the 
other regiments of the brigade, of which the Fourth 
Ohio was a part, inspired such a feeling in the minds 
of the boys that they expected to see the very hills 
before them torn to pieces and the war brought to a 
summaiy close before night fall. 

As soon as this force had cleared the way, the 
Fourth Ohio started on the march, in an opposite di- 
rection, or back towards the town. They passed on 
through Guayama and on to the road leading to 
Ponce. This road was followed for a distance of 
nearly a mile when a turn was made to the right and 
the line of march was continued along a rough, rocky 
road that had the appearance of being a private lane. 
The Second Battalion marched at the head of the col- 
umn and the First Battalion was assigned to the rear. 
The march was well protected by a strong advance 
guard, E Company under Captain Vincent having 
been assigned to this duty. 

The column advanced through fields and across 
meadows, over deep ditches and along rugged streams, 
pushing its way at times through thickets and planta- 
tions and again coming out into rocky barren places 
where the horses could hardly be pushed along at 
all. A guide had been secured to point out the way, 
but when it came to the test, he refused to go along. 
General Haines accompanied this expedition and he 
at once sent back to Guayama for Emanuel Lucinarius 
who bravely offered to show the way through the 
mountains. 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 195 

Briefly stated, the plan was for the Fourth Ohio 
to take a very circuitous route through the mountains, 
arriving at the rear of the town, while the remainder 
of the force was to have advanced over the main road. 
The main column would probably have attracted the 
attention of the entire Spanish force, so that the 
Fourth Ohio could have moved practically unnoticed 
into a strong position and the work would have been 
done. At the same time General Miles, with his 
army at Ponce, would advance from Comoa, the town 
which had already been captured with a small loss, 
so that the Spaniards would have been compelled to 
exhaust their every resource to cope with such a 
movement. 

The men had been ordered to take two days' ra- 
tions with them, and this, added to the weight of the 
regular equipment began to weigh pretty heavily on 
the men before they had gone very far. The tac- 
tics that had been followed on the march from 
Arroyo w^ere again adopted and shelter tents, blan- 
kets and ponchos were thrown by the wayside. The 
rains had entirely ceased and the sun beat down upon 
the men most unmercifully. The band had again 
left their instniments behind and were acting as mem- 
bers of the hospital corps. The sun beat down upon 
these men, however, with as much force as it did 
upon the companies, and they were almost as help- 
less as the other men. They accomplished much 
good, however, by caring as best they could under 
the circumstances, for the men who were compelled 
to drop from the ranks on account of the heat. 



1% THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

Considering the terrible heat and the rate at 
which the march was kept up in order to reach the 
town at the appointed time, there were not as many 
stragglers as might be supposed. There was a fight 
in view and this kept the spirits of the men in such 
condition that they could have borne even worse hard- 
ships than they had yet suffered. Before noon, how- 
ever, the unrelenting heat had claimed quite a num- 
ber of ^dctims and the poor fellows who could go no 
further were cared for as \vell as could be done many 
miles from a hospital. 

Straggling was very dangerous, for the moun- 
tains were known to be full of guerillas and scouts 
from the Spanish army, and it was learned after hos- 
tilities had been suspended that small reconnoitering 
parties had actually concealed themselves and watched 
the regiment thread its way through the bushes and 
among the rocks. They were in such small force, 
however, that they regarded it folly to make their 
presence Imown in any way, but had the line of march 
been marked with men who had fallen from the ranks, 
they could easily have been captured and carried 
away to Spanish prisons. 

A peculiar fact connected mth the history of the 
Fourth Ohio is that every movement was either made 
on Friday or on the 13th day of the month. This 
movement was made both on Friday and on the Thir- 
teenth, and while the regiment at least as a whole 
was not superstitious in any way, many of the mem- 
bers fully expected that something serious would 
happen. Dozens of places were passed, where, if the 



THE FOURTH 0. 7. /. 197 

Spaniards had seen or had been ready to act, the 
regiment could have been wiped out of existence so 
completely that not one would have survived to tell 
the tale. As these places were passed the men in- 
voluntarily heaved a sigh of relief and figuratively 
^'held their breath" until the next pass came into 
view. Every rifle was loaded, chamber and magazine, 
and during most of the march, every trigger had a 
finger ready to touch it in the name of "Fair Co- 
lumbia and the Stars and Stripes." 

The regiment reached a beautiful, well-shaded 
spot along the bank of one of the mountain streams 
about noon, and here a short stop was made for din- 
ner. 1^0 fires were kindled except a few of sticks 
where the men prepared cups of coffee. "Prime 
Roast Beef," "Boston Baked Beans/' and "Finest 
Quality Tomatoes," mth a liberal supply of hard 
tack and river water, made up the menu of the lunch, 
but it was heartily enjoyed by all, as was also the 
short rest which was permitted after lunch. 

When all was again ready, the march was re- 
sumed, but perhaps at a little higher rate of speed 
until the last mountain pass was reached. This was 
little short of a cliff, but it had to be surmounted just 
the same, as the other bad places had to be gone over. 
It was about 2 o'clock when the foot of this hill was 
reached and a brief rest had been ordered before the 
ascent was commenced. It would have required 
about an hour for the regiment to have climbed this 
place, but at the top all the fighting that had ever 
been asked for was waiting. The command. "For- 



198 THE FOURTH O. T, I. 

ward!" had just been given when an officer of the 
signal corps, Major Dean, overtook the regiment, his 
horse covered with lather and foam and almost ex- 
hausted. When he reached the rear of the column, 
he called for them to make way. He pushed tlirough 
as rapidly as the men could make way for him, shout- 
ing as he did so, ''Tell the colonel to halt." When 
the major had reached the colonel and General 
Haines, he delivered a message from General Brooke, 
announcing that dispatches had been received from 
Washington with the intelligence that hostilities be- 
tween the United States and the kingdom of Spain 
had been suspended, and that there would be no more 
fighting, at least for the time being. The Fourth 
Ohio was then ordered back to Guayama, to report 
as soon as possible. 

"This is Friday and the 13th," observed a sol- 
dier, who had been an observer. ''I told you some- 
thing would happen, and now sure enough we are up 
against the worst snap we have struck since we left 
home. All this killing march for nothing. It does 

beat ," and here the pessimistic observation 

was drowned in the cheer that went up from the ranks 
for Uncle Sam. The march had been a severe one, 
and it seemed hard for the boys to turn their 
backs to the enemy they had yearned so much to 
meet, but knowing that a fight on that ground would 
have resulted seriously if not disastrously, the boys 
accepted their fate as best they could and after a 
short rest started back to town. 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 199 

If tlie advance had been a severe trial, the re- 
turn trip to the city was a severer one. The first 
march had been attended with novelty, and with 
interest and a promise of excitement, but now that the 
boys had to pick their way back over the rough road 
without having accomplished anything or without re- 
ceiving an opportunity of showing what Ohio citizen 
soldiers could do, the regiment as a whole was sadly 
discouraged, and very uncomplimentary remarks were 
made concerning the "backbone" of the Spanish gov- 
ernment and the fighting quality of her soldiers. 
However, a soldier's value is estimated by his willing- 
ness and promptness in obeying orders, and here the 
Fourth Ohio did its duty just as it had done on every 
occasion since the day it was accepted as a volunteer 
regiment. 

The Third Battalion took the lead on the return 
and they set a merry pace. Half running, the col- 
umn retraced its steps back to town as though it had a 
record to beat and had there been one it certainly 
would have been beaten, for before the sun had sunk 
behind the hills the regiment had just climbed and 
then descended, a camp had been estabKshed and 
preparations were going on for the night camp along 
the Ponce road, at the point where the regiment had 
left it earlier in the day. 

On the return there was a large number of strag- 
glers, for the heat of the sun and the severe physical 
strain of the march had so nearly worn out a great 
number of the men that they were wholly unable to 
keep up. They were compelled, for lack of strength, 



20O THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 

to drop out and rest, returning to the regiment as best 
they could. The hospital corps at first attempted 
to assist these men, but the number increased so rap- 
idly that no possible means could be devised to help 
them and they were obliged to get along as best they 
could. Lack of water and of nourishing or refreshing 
food had rendered them almost helpless, and words 
fail to describe the suffering of that afternoon. Men 
threw away what clothing they could spare in order 
to lighten their load and to make better progress. 
Some threw their weary bodies into the streams in 
the hope that in that way they could quench their 
parching thirst. Men lay at the roadside begging 
for water, while their comrades were forced to pass 
by them, wholly unable to give them more than a 
quaff of the tepid water from the little rivulets which 
had almost boiled under the terrible heat of the trop- 
ical sun. Some of these men did not rejoin the regi- 
ment until the next day, preferring remaining out in 
the open country to dragging their exhausted bodies 
over the rocks before they had enjoyed a night's rest. 

As soon as the temporary camp was established, 
the men were permitted to report at the hospital, and 
quite a number improved this opportunity to prepare 
for the fight against disease. Quite a few were ad- 
mitted to the hospital as patients, and it is very grati- 
fying to note that no permanent evil resulted from 
the terrible march. 

Supper was prepared and the men, after taking 
liberal quantities of hot coffee into their stomachs, 
wrapped themselves in the few blankets which re- 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 201 

mained, and creeping into the little shelter tents 
buried themselves in sleep until morning. The 
camp was not in existence long, for early the next 
day the regiment removed to a hill side at the north 
side of the city, the new camp bordering on one of the 
Guayama streets at the south and another, the main 
street or the road to Cayey on the west. The new 
camp was made with the wall tents which had been 
brought from Chickamauga park, a decided improve- 
ment over the low thin "pup-tents." 

Tf a careful survey of the whole island of Porto 
Rico had been made, a worse location for a military 
camp could hardly have been selected. There was 
one advantage and that was the convenience to a 
water supply, the city water station being located 
within the limits of the camp. This proved inade- 
quate, however, and water for cooking and some for 
drinking purposes had to be carried from the city. 
The camp was on a hillside at the base of the moun- 
tain range already described. At the foot of the hill 
was Eio Guayama, and this made it convenient for 
washing clothes and for bathing, but the Third Il- 
linois later occupied a field further up the stream 
and thewaterwasthoroughlypolluted bythe "Suckers" 
before it reached the limits of the Fourth Ohio camp. 
The surface of the ground was such that it was abso- 
lutely impossible to take a step in any direction with- 
out going either up or down hill. As popular :.s dress 
parades were with the regiment, a parade ground could 
not be found capable of permitting a review in more 
than a column of platoons and even these were often 



202 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

obliged to break to pieces in passing tbe re\dewing 
officer. Permission could not be secured, however, 
to remove tbe camp to a more favorable location and 
tbe regiment made this place its bome until October 
6tb, wben tbe start was made across tbe island for 
San Juan and the states. 



THE FOURTH 0. 7. I. 203 



CHAPTEK XIV. 



IN CAMP AT GUAYAMA. 

Miserable Location — Causes of Dissatisfaction — Health of 
the Men — Desire to Return Home — Sickness — Condition 
at Hospital — Changes in Commanders — Market — Finan- 
cial Condition of Men— The Paymaster— Better Times- 
Visit of Mr. Klotts — Orders to Move — Brigade Dis- 
banded. 

The camp at Guayama was in existence from 
August 14 to October 6, when, under orders to re- 
turn to the United States, the regiment marched 
across the mountains to Cajey, thence to Caguas and 
from there to Rio Piedras and proceeded to San Juan. 
The camp has already been described as to its posi- 
tion and surface. The members of the regiment had 
but one consolation when the camp was established: 
The assurance that hostilities having ceased, or at 
least suspended, the war would soon be declared off 
and the regiment returned to its home in Ohio. Had 
it been generally known at the time this camp was 
formed that the regiment would remain there two 
long months, the howl that would have gone up from 
the company streets would have been heard in Wash- 
ington. 

One of the first duties after the camp was formed, 
was the digging of sinks and other preparations look- 
ing to the health and comfort of the men durincr the 
occupation of the camp, whatever length of time that 
misrht be. It should be remembered in this connection 



204 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

that the only commissary stores received at Guayama 
were those which had constituted the diet of the reg- 
iment since the day the regimental camp at Camp 
Thomas had been abandoned. The regiment was not 
traveling, much as it wanted to, but "travel rations" 
continued to come in from the United States. The 
first few days the boys managed to get along fairly 
well by buying and bartering of the natives such ar- 
ticles of food as the island produced and a few arti- 
cles that had been imported. They were unable to 
do this very long, however, from the fact that no pay- 
master had yet appeared at the camp and the funds 
of most of the men had become practically exhausted. 

About the time the boys began to think seriously 
of rising up and demanding as one man that more 
and better rations be issued, they began to under- 
stand that it was not the fault of the regimental or 
company officers that they were not better fed, but 
that it was the fault of those in the states who had 
the matter of feeding the army in hand. All com- 
missary stores were purchased by contract and if the 
contractors could furnish the stores that would fill 
their coffers more rapidly than to furnish the kind of 
food which the men in the field wanted and which 
they needed, the former was invariably sent to Cuba 
and to Porto Rico. It made little difference how 
much the men who had to eat these things, objected, 
the issues continued the same. 

The first diversion from the fare described was 
rice and potatoes. The issue was very small, but with 
its aid, the spirits of the boys were wonderfully 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 205 

strengthened. Company officers did much also to 
lessen the suffering of their men by saving the issues 
of canned beef, tomatoes, hard tack and beans and 
trading it to native merchants for yams, eggs, milk 
and other provisions better suited to the climate and 
to the condition of the men. 

The health of the regiment first began to break 
down while this camp was occupied. At Chicka- 
mauga park, both the other regiments of the brigade 
had suffered comparatively heavy losses by death for 
soldiers not in an active campaign. Their hospitals 
were full and their men were dui'ing much of the time 
unfit for duty on account of sickness, but during all 
this time the Fourth Ohio had suffered very little 
sickness and but one death had occurred in the regi- 
ment. This was the only death that occurred before 
the regiment left the United States. It was but a 
few days after Porto Rico was reached, however, that 
sickness began to appear and there was a death before 
the camp at Guayama had been established. This was 
Daniel H. Dodge, of H company, who was buried at 
the cemetery at Arroyo by Captain Donavin and sev- 
eral other members of the regiment. 

There were several causes which combined to 
break down the health of the men. Without going 
into technicality or detail, these w'ere, the absence of 
proper food, the change in climate, homesickness and 
the indulgence in the use of the native fruits and 
pastry. The latter may not have caused any deaths, 
but the eating of mangoes and some of the candies 
and other products of the native kitchen, in spite of 



206 THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 

the warning of the surgeons and the orders of the 
colonel and company commanders, rendered many 
soldiers unfit for duty. Once sick, many of them 
would give up their thoughts to home and those they 
had left behind, and before the patient or his com- 
rades were aware, these were at the hospital in a criti- 
cal condition. There was very little of this class of 
disease when compared with that found in the other 
commands on the island. Either the discipline of the 
Fourth Ohio was better, the men wiser, or they were 
less fortunately situated as to finances. 

The change in climate and the lack of proper 
food claimed several victims, but neither the men nor 
the ofiicers over them were at fault in this matter. 
The seat of this trouble has already been located. It 
is a fact also that the mere fact that the men were 
members of the army and that they were in an active 
campaign and suffering all the inconveniences inci- 
dent to that kind of duty, had very little if anything 
to do with the suffering superinduced by the change 
in climate. Persons going to tropical from temper- 
ate climates on pleasure tours suffer the same diffi- 
culty. But these causes combined had an evil effect 
and can not be overlooked. 

These were times that were trying to the medi- 
cal department. Major Semans and Dr. Wright 
worked night and day to relieve the suffering of the 
men and with the aid of the stewards and the other 
members of the regiment who had been detailed to 
duty at the hospital, many lives were saved and much 
suffering was relieved or entirely avoided. The work 



THE FOURTH 0. T. I. 207 

of the hospital men in this camp as well as during 
all the time in which the regiment was in the service 
was certainly well done and too much praise can not 
be accorded them. At any howr during the day or 
night that men went to the hospital, some one was 
awake and ready and -willing to take care of the pa- 
tient. The work of the hospital corps ie treated else- 
where, but it is only proper to mention in this con- 
nection the untiring effort and the noble work of Doc- 
tors McMurray, Wilson, Caraon, Nurses Lane, Eeed 
and others who, on account of their knowledge of 
medicine and the care of the sick were assigned to 
duty with the regimental surgeons. These men 
worked without commissions and without extra pay 
except the satisfaction of knowing that they were do- 
ing much good for their comrades in distress. Major 
Semans worked himself sick and had Dr. Wright 
been obliged to have remained on duty at the regi- 
mental hospital, he would have undoubtedly broken 
completely down. 

Patients could not be retained in the regimental 
hospital for more than several days, when they were 
removed to the general hospital. Matters here were 
in a most deplorable condition as may be seen from 
the followiner extract from a written statement by an 
officer of the Fourth Ohio : 

"On the eighth day of August my brother was 
taken sick \^dth the fever, and reported to the sur- 
geons of the Fourth, whose quarters were then in the 
old Spanish barracks, and at my request he was later 
moved to the Red Cross hospital, where he received 



208 TEE FOURTH O. V. I. 

very good treatment from our surgeons. Upon the 
arrival of Colonel Hidecooper they were ordered to 
move the sick men to an unprepai-ed hospital on the 
hill, close to the city, regardless of the fact that the 
men were in no condition to be moved at that time. 
Colonel Coit ordered the men to be left where they 
were, and insisted on his orders being obeyed, but 
Colonel Hidecooper then got an order from General 
Brooke and Colonel Coit was powerless to retain the 
men. 

"While this dispute was going on the sick men 
were loaded and unloaded several times from the am- 
bulance. The men were finally moved, while it was 
raining, and that evening there came to me an inti- 
mation that they were not being properly taken care 
of. I immediately went to the hospital, where my eyes 
were greeted with such a sight as I hope never to 
witness again. Men in all stages of fever and other 
kinds of sickness were lying on the ground with noth- 
ing to lie upon save their own blankets, and a large 
portion of the men were not under even a tent, but 
were lying beneath a fly, where the rain was dripping 
in upon them, and for over a week the men tad noth- 
ing to eat except regular army rations, unless some 
kind hearted comrade would spend some of his 
meagre salary for food for his friend." 

In a quiet spot in one corner of the cemetery at 
Guayama is a little lot belonging temporarily to the 
United States. Here under the sweltering rays of 
the southern sun lie buried the remains of those 
noble sons of Ohio who were unable to withstand the 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 209 

liardsliips of military service. They had fought 
bravely the enemy of their native land, they had 
braved the dangers and the hardships of the mai'ch 
and the watch, but they had been stricken from the 
ranks in the still watches of the night by the hand 
that no military power could stay. Each of these was 
tenderly laid to rest on beds of beautiful flowers and 
the last sad rites were performed with the same 
reverence and tenderness which marks the part- 
ing of loved ones in the Christian home. Each 
time the muffled notes of the drum announced 
the muster out of a comrade, heads were bared and to 
the slow, mournful step of the funeral march, the 
remaining members of the company of which the 
dead soldier had been a member, followed the rude 
bier to the little cemetery where a beautiful funeral 
ceremony was performed and with the last sound- 
ing of "taps," the departed one was left to know no 
more of the cares of military life or the sorrows of a 
world where men meet men at the point of the sword. 

The graves of all the deceased members of the 
Fourth Ohio were plainly marked with wooden slabs 
and as this account goes to press, arrangements are 
being made for their transfer back to the soil which 
gave them birth and which thev left to fight for the 
honor of their homes and native land. 

The seasons of the year in Porto Rico are sup- 
posed to be the "wet" and the "dry" seasons, but the 
experience of the Fourth Ohio at Guayama failed to 
teach any of its members "which was which." On 
one day the rain would fall in torrents and the next 



210 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

daj it would seem as though no rain had fallen for 
months. Some times the men would answer the first 
morning roll call in a driving rain, but before noon 
the sun would beat down upon the canvas tents with 
such unrelenting force that the occupants were com- 
pelled to spread their blankets on the canvas to pro- 
tect themselves from the terrible heat. Again it 
would rain for four or five days at a time, in which 
case, all the food and clothing in camp would be 
thoroughly soaked. After this the sun would break 
through the clouds, and beating down upon the well 
soaked ground, evaporate all the moisture so rapidly 
that it was too cold on the inside of the tents for the 
men to remain, and so hot where the sun shone, that 
one would be unable to stand but a moment without 
suffering sun stroke. The heavy rains would fill up 
the streams and springs so that they were unfit to 
wash clothing or for bathing or drinking. 

The peo^-jle at Guayama, it has been stated, were 
very friendly to the soldiers when they first lauded in 
the city. Anything that was in possession of the 
people could be secured by the soldiers for the mere 
asking. For every American dollar a soldier pos- 
sessed, he could secure two Porto Eican dollars or 
"pesos" as they were called. Current prices on all 
the commodities which the market afforded were far 
below those at home and the men felt that they had 
certainly reached a home for poor men, but as the 
acquaintance with the soldiers increased, the people 
began to feel sorry that they had been so liberal and 
it seemed that they were determined to "make up" 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 211 

for the mistakes they had made in the past and prices 
began to rise. An American dollar began to depre- 
ciate in the native markets so that when the regi- 
ment left, all a soldier could get for the "good old 
American stuff" was one "peso" and sixty "centavos." 
Milk advanced in price and eggs could not be bought 
for less than eight cents each. Merchants doubled 
the price on everything they offered for sale and wo- 
men who did laundry work advanced their rates to 
many times the original figTires. 

This led to more or less ill feeling against the 
natives, and determined to "break even" with them, 
all sorts of Yankee tricks were played by the soldiers. 
There was very little serious trouble between the sol- 
diers and the natives, but there were several small 
fights and the privilege of the camp was denied a cer- 
tain class of merchants. 

The better class of citizens, however, those who 
owned property or those who were intelligent enough 
to appreciate the advantages of the change in gov- 
ernment, remained loyal in their friendship for the 
Americans. Banquets, receptions and other social 
functions in honor of the officers and men remained 
the order of the "society" side of life at Guayama as 
long as the camp was maintained. Even after the 
regiment had returned to Ohio letters were received 
from people at Guayama expresang the friendship of 
the people there for the Fourth Ohio. 

There was one class of citizens which was not 
benefited by the change of government and which 
did not benefit the United States bv its acauisit:on. 



212 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

This was the lowest type of Porto Riean. He was 
black, dirty, lazy, ignorant, immoral, naked and dis- 
eased. He would steal the clothing from a corpse and 
while the regiment was in the field before Guayama, 
some of these fellows robbed the knapsacks of the 
soldiers who were fighting for their liberty. He 
profited only by the increase in the population, thus 
receiving a broader field in which to operate his ne- 
farious method of securing a livelihood. The mili- 
tary authority paid little attention to this class, ex- 
cept to give them scraps from the camp mess and to 
aid the civil authorities in arresting and imprisoning 
them. They did not live in houses, but existed more 
as the lower animals. There was little hope for their 
improvement and as it was dangerous to get near them 
on account of disease, the soldiers remained away from 
them as much as possible. 

Aside from the digging of sinks and other fa- 
tigue duty in keeping the camp clean, there was lit- 
tle duty to perform at Guayama. There was a camp 
guard maintained, but at first it was dangerous for 
the men to get beyond the limit of the outposts and 
after hostilities had ceased there was little temptation 
for the men to leave camp except to go into the city. 
Passes were issued to a few each day and those who 
went mthout passes were liable to arrest by the pro- 
vost guard on duty in and about the city. This made 
camp guard duty very light and it was often taken ofl 
at night in bad weather except at one or two posts for 
the purpose of keeping watch over things in general. 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 213 

Guard was mounted in the morning, one company 
going on at a time. 

The first several weeks,- provost duty was per- 
formed by the companies of the Fourth Ohio, the 
different commands taking turns as in camp guard. 
This duty was at one time assigned to the Fourth 
Pennsylvania, but after a few days was returned to 
the Fourth Ohio. Companies A and E were then de- 
tailed to perform this duty and Lieutenant Colonel 
Adams was made provost marshal of the town. These 
companies remained at this duty until they boarded 
the Chester to leave the island for home. 

Porto Rico was sometimes referred to by the boys 
as the "land of vile cigars." Tobacco was grown on 
the island quite extensively and the tobacco was a 
very fine grade, but it was rolled up into cigars in 
such manner that they were unfit either to smoke or 
to smell. The fault lay altogether in the making of 
the cigar and not in the quality of the tobacco. The 
redeeming feature of Porto Rican cigars, however, 
was their price; for any one who cared to smoke could 
get a fine cigar, at first for part of a hard tack, then 
for a whole one and finally the price was raised to two 
hard tacks, the quality of the goods decreasing as 
rapidly as the price increased. The cigars were 
brought to camp in baskets of bark or in muslin bags 
and peddled after the fashion used by the appleman 
in the cities at home. There were other peddlers ad- 
mitted to the camp at first, but they were stopped later 
on because of their method of doing business. 



214 THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 

By an order issued from General Brooke's head- 
quarters, a mail route was established between Ponce 
and Guayama. Mail was received from Ponce on 
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday of each week and 
mail could be sent to Ponce on the remaining three 
days. The mail wagx)n made the trips regularly, but 
mail from home was only delivered about every two 
weeks. The quickest time that was made from Ohio 
towns to Guayama was ten days. This was satisfac- 
tory, but there were many instances in which letters 
were delivered that had been mailed weeks and even 
months before, and many letters were not delivered 
until after the regiment reached home. These had 
been mailed long before the regiment had received 
orders to leave Guayama. It was not unusual for the 
mail clerks to find mail in the regimental budget ad- 
dressed to soldiers in Cuba or the Philippines and it 
was only natural to suppose that mail for the Fourth 
Ohio was often sent to those places. There was no 
regular mail line from the United States to Porto 
Rico and mail was only taken to the island by hospi- 
tal or quartermasters' boats. 

At Guayama the mail was distributed among 
the regiments and then turned over to regimental 
postmasters. At Camp Thomas, Private Irvin, of M 
company, took care of Fourth Ohio mail, but he was 
succeeded early in the Porto Eican campaign by Cor- 
poral Harmount, of K company. It was quite a while 
after the regiment had been at Guayama that mail 
reached camp at all. As soon as it was delivered at 
the regimental postoffice, it was distributed to the 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 215 

companies wliere the first sergeants took it for distrs 
bution among the men. Letters and newspapers wei<' 
gladly received as can easily be imagined, but wher. 
thev came they were from ten days to many weeks 
old and even after the regiment had reached Colum- 
bus and had been mustered out of the service, mail 
that had been addressed to soldiers in Porto Rico, long 
before the regiment was ordered from Guayama, was 
delivered to those for whom they were intended, some 
of them having made a tour around the world. 

During the stay at Guayama, when news from 
the states was always old, rumors circulated in camp 
with more rapidity and with less foundation in fact, 
but with more believers than they had at any time 
since the regiment left the auditorium. A group of 
soldiers would often arrange a story, as far from any- 
thing plausible as they could make it, then separating 
to different directions, would promulgate the "news" 
to all whom they met. Given a start thus, the rumor 
would circulate to every part of the camp in a phe- 
nomenally short time and cheer after cheer would go 
up from the company streets, at the thought of going 
home or doing duty of another nature. Some times 
the rumor makers would make the news of a discour- 
aging nature, but the result would be the same as to 
its general belief and rapid circulation. 

Sickness, bad weather, disgusting natives, bad 
rations, lack of funds, slow news from home, the fact 
that the war was over and no duty to perform that 
seemed "necessary" in the minds of the members of 
the regiment, an inconvenient camp, discouraging: ef- 



216 TEE FOURTE 0. V. I. 

feet of the constantly circulating rumors, slow action 
on the part of the war department to make any head- 
way in the occupation of the island, a desire on the 
part of those men who had employment awaiting 
them at home and who were obliged to maintain fami- 
lies on the meager income of fifteen dollars and sixty 
cents per month and a desire of the college men to re- 
turn to their regular duties were causes which com- 
bined to create a general feeling of dissatisfaction in 
the regiment. There was nothing to do practically 
but exist; and existence under such circumstances 
as those which attended life in the camp at Guayama 
was not a sweet one by any means. Everybody 
wanted to go home and everybody was free to express 
this desire. There was a few exceptions to this rule 
however, but they were men who had no considerable 
employment at home and who were '^aming far more 
wages as soldiers than they had ever earned before in 
their lives so they were desirous of holding to their 
places as long as possible. These members soon 
found themselves held in severe contempt by the 
other members, for the regiment was made up of pro- 
fessional men and mechanics who were actuated by 
patriotism only in leaving their homes, their employ- 
ment or the college to represent their state on the field 
of battle. 

Time drug heavily and the men began to 
look about for amusement of some sort. Fre- 
quent excursions were made to the seashore or into 
the mountains and every opportunity that was af- 
forded to while away the time was grasped eagerly by 



THE FOURTH 0. V. 1. 217 

all. Applications were made for furloughs and 
discharges, but only a few were granted. The lucky 
fellows were permitted to go home on the hospital 
sMps that left quite frequently, loaded down with the 
sick and dying. Men who were in the hospitals with 
little hope of recovery in Porto Rico were given sick 
leave and they too were permitted to go home. None 
of these ever returned, for as soon as their leaves ex- 
pired the time was extended, so that they did not re- 
join the regiment until it had reached Columbus. 

About the first of September there was a change 
in cormnanders of the brigade. General Haines, who 
was a colonel in the regular army, was needed else- 
where in the service and he was relieved by General 
Fred Grant, son of the "Silent President." General 
Grant took great interest in the welfare of the men 
and his personal talks and quiet inquiries with them 
soon made him a popular officer with the men of the 
command. The dissatisfaction continued, however, 
and the desire to go home was as apparent as ever. 

While the boys in Company M were exchanging 
rumors and waiting for orders, the poetically inclined 
"got their heads together" and composed a song which 
BOon grew into popularity with the entire regiment. 
It certainly voiced the sentiment of all the men. One 
Averse and the chorus is given : 

Lying in the guard house, awaiting my discharge — 

To H — 1 with all the officers, the provost and the guard — 

When we get back to Circleville, as happy as a clam, 
To tell about the sow-belly we ate for Uncle Sam. 



218 THE FOURTH 0. V. 1. 

Chorus — 

Home boys, home, its home you ought to be! 

Home, boys, home, in your own. country! 
Where the ash and the oak and the bonnie willow tree — 

Where the grass grows green — in God's country. 

Many verses were added to the song, nearly all 
of which contained "roasts" concerning some of the 
officers or some feature of the life at Guayama, the 
rhythm somewhat irregular in some cases of course, 
hut the sentiment invariably true. 

One of the most interestinsr diversions from the 
dull monotony of the camp was an entertainment or- 
ganized and completed by members of the regiment. 
Chaplain Schindel took an active part in the pre- 
paration and rendition of the program and the enter- 
tainment made a decided "hit" with the entire regi- 
ment and the people of Guayama who availed them- 
selves of the opportunity of seeing vaudeville as ex- 
hibited by Ohio soldiers. The entertainment was 
given on three evenings, each performance being 
given for the benefit of the different battalions. No 
admission was charged, hence the entertainment from 
a financial point of view was a failure. The program 
is given below, just as it came from the Spanish 
press, as to spelling and punctuation: 

4TH Ohio Infantry vaudeville Company, 

Gauyama Theatre, Puerto Rico, 

September 13-15 1898 

EXECUTIVE STAFF. 

George B. Donavan, Mounted (Prt. Ro. Stud with baskets) 
Capt.: and pro. of mule corrall in Puerto Rico. 
T. C. Radcliff, the only man who can make Dtails. 



THE FOURTH 0. T. I. 219 

J. L. Sellers, Major and manf. of cigars warranted no sellers. 
M. Lee Wilson, Reg. Ajt. a farmer lad and not the proprietor 

of a Chinese laundry as his name would indicate. 
J. B. Adams, Lt. Col. of regiment, Guayamo Provost marshall 

and Gran Jefe de Pollcia. 
Col. A. B. Coit, Commanding Staff. &c. &c. &c, &c. 

Opening Selection 4th Regiment Band. 

PART I 

THE COLONEL'S RECEPTION. 



Colonel-Serg. C. K. Crum. 

Walters S. Williams, B. Reynolds, W. Connell, Joe Johnson. 
Ed. Jones. E. Shoemaker. 

Song, "Two Roses from Mother,, — M. E. Murray. 

Oomique, "Warmest Baby in the Bunch"— S. Williams. 

Song, "Break the News to Mother" — Steve Henry. 

Comique, "Guess that v/ill hold you for awhile" — R. Rey- 
nolds. 

Incidental Music, M. Co. Quarterte— Henry, Murray, Bales 
and Crum. 

Selection — Poet and Peasant, Regimental Band. 

PART 11. 

MR. SAM WILLIAMS, 
The Curbstone Comedian who wants a moment with you. 



MESSRS. MARK TWAY AN TOM HILL, 
Ohio's Greatest Buck and Wing Specialists. 



MESSRS. DAVIS AND LAMBERT, 



In Feats of Juggling, Light and Heavy Balancing, Wire Act. 

MR. JOHN GIBBONS, 
Terpsechorean Fantastic Toeist. 

MR. MARSHALL MURRAY, 
Favorite Tenor. 

MR. CELESTINO DOMINGUBZ, 
Puerto Rican Hymn. 



220 TEE FOURTH 0. V. I. 



PART III. 



H. BALES, 
Original Sketch Artist. 



MR. CHARLES WOODMaNCY, 
In Novel Singing Specialty. 

PROF. JESSE Vv'ORTHINGTON, 
Comet Virtuoso in Aqparelle (which means real water.) 

M. Company quintette, Messrs. Henry, Murray, Bales, 
Mowery and Crum. 

fi:n"ale 

1. Uncle Sam and the Goddess of Libery review the army. 

2. Uncle Sam and Puerto — Rico under the Stars and Stripes. 
R. Herod, Dominguez, Mercedes Bruno. 

NOTES. 

Eggs tendered as compliments must be scrambled and 
not over six weeks old. 

The Mint Julep counter to the right as you enter under 
personal supervision of Lieut. W. B. McCloud, who is feel- 
ing better. 

Palm leaf fans furnished by John Trent 20 centavoa 

The Colonel offers $5 reward for the petrified prayer th* 
Chaplain lost in the attack on Guayama. 

N. B. Major Baker will please occupy an amen pew in 
the synagogue so that he will be able to comprehend the 
Program. 

"And the next day it rained "Genl Order No. 10. 

A week after the change in brigade command- 
ers, there was a change in commanding officers of the 
First battalion. Major Speaks, who had been with 
the regiment longer than any other member, was 
granted a leave of absence and on September 8, he 
left the Guayama camp to go to his home in Colum- 
bus. Captain Vincent of E company, the ranking 
captain of the regiment, was assigned to the battalion 
and he retained command until the regiment arrived 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 221 

in Columbus. The association of Captain Vincent 
with the men and officers of the First battalion was 
mutually pleasant and while there was no important 
duty to perform except at Caguas, Captain Vincent 
proved to be a very competent battalion commander. 

At the same time Major Speaks left Guayama, a 
number of other members started for their homes in 
Ohio. Among these were Corporal Williamson, of 
Company F, Principal Musician Rulo and several 
others, some discharged from the service, others on 
sick leave and some on furlough. These men took 
with them messages from nearly every man and offi- 
cer in the regiment. 

One of the first things General Grant did when 
he assumed command was to clean up the camp and 
from all appearances arrange for a long stay at Guay- 
ama. He encouraged dress parades and as there was 
no fit place for parade at either of the regimental 
camps, the Third Illinois and the Fourth Ohio alter- 
nated in appropriating the Guayama plaza for a pa- 
rade ground. In the meantime, orders had been re- 
ceived for the occupation of the entire island accord- 
ing to the agreement made in the protocol which had 
been signed by Spain. One evening about September 
15, General Grant directed that the companies turn 
out as full as possible as he wanted to view the actual 
strength of the regiment. He personally reviewed 
the parade which followed and expressed himself very 
well pleased with the appearance of the regiment. 

The real object of the big parade, however, was 
to determine which were the strongest companies. 



222 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

D and M companies turned out with the greatest 
number of men able for duty and these two companies 
were at once selected to take charge of provinces. A 
few days later D company received orders to go to 
Humocoa in the eastern end of the island and then 
came orders for M company under Lieutenant Duffy 
to go to the island of Vieques. This was the begin- 
ning of the separation of the companies and before the 
end of the month all that remained at the original 
camp at Guayama were companies B, C, F, G and K. 
F and K companies were soon after detached and sent 
to other stations and later on B company was sent 
away and a part of H company was given a station. 
The inconvenience of being without money, es- 
pecially when payment of hard earned wages from 
such employers as the government is past due, is an 
experiment hardly calculated to be enjoyed by many; 
at least it was an experience not enjoyed by the 
Fourth Ohio. One of the favorite subjects for rumors 
was the paymaster and he was reported every day. One 
rumor would have him in Guayama with the informa- 
tion that he had forgotten the money or that he had 
come as far as Arroyo and then changed his mind and 
had gone back to the United States. Another rumor 
impressed upon the minds of many that the regiment 
would not be paid at all in Porto Eico, but that pay- 
ment would be deferred until the regiment reached 
New York, but on the evening of September 22, 
Major Jones, one of the volunteer paymasters, arrived 
in camp with money with which to pay the regiment. 
The news spread like wildfire, but there had been so 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 223 

many similar stories exploded that the rumor at first 
was regarded with more or less suspicion, but the safes 
had been left at guard headquarters for the night and 
nearly every man in the regiment walked through a 
pouring rain to confirm the story for himself. The 
good news had a remarkable effect on the men and 
the benefit of good spirits among the soldiers could 
be seen before "taps" was sounded for the night. For 
the time being, the question of going home was aban- 
doned and the men spent the night in their tents, 
dreamins" of the good things to eat which they had 
been denied on account of the lack of means with 
which to secure them, but which they could now en- 
joy to their hearts' content. 

A brigade store had been established in Guay- 
ama for the benefit of the officers for they were not 
provided for as were the enlisted men, by the gov- 
ernment. They had to purchase all their subsistence 
with private funds and had not this store been estab- 
lished, the officers would have been compelled to de- 
pend entirely upon the native markets for their liv- 
ing. At this store there was offered for sale, tobacco 
and canned goods, dried fruits and vegetables and in 
fact everything that would not perish in transit from 
the United States to Porto Kico. While the store was 
intended for the convenience of the officers, enlisted 
men could purchase any article offered for sale so 
that when the paymaster made his appearance, every 
man in the regiment could see before him an oppor- 
tunity for at least one "square" meal. 



224 THE FOURTH 0. Y. I, 

The weather was exceptionally bad at the time 
Major Jones began paying the men on September 23, 
but the spirits of the regiment presented quite a con- 
trast to the condition of the weather. The boys 
marched through a heavy rain to the regimental 
headquarters and then as soon as they received their 
money, they hastened to the brigade store to pur- 
chase anything they could get that was fit to eat. The 
result was that by the time the Fourth Ohio was paid, 
the stock of the brigade store was almost exhausted 
and the members of the other regiments at Guayama 
were compelled to save their money until a new 
supply could be received. After the men had pro- 
vided themselves with all the provisions they could 
secure, they visited the Guayama stores and purchased 
everything in sight that could be carried home as 
souvenirs of the place. In this way the sums that 
were distributed by the paymaster soon disappeared 
and the men were again "financially embaiTassed," 
but they were happy. At the same time the business 
of Guayama had exprienced such a revival that it had 
never seen before or probably will ever know. 

Major Jones had hardly finished paying the 
troops when he received orders to pay for the month 
of September so that the men received pay for three 
months at one time. The effect of this was not only 
that the men had plenty of money, but also that the 
health of the regiment was greatly improved and 
from that time on the sickness began to disappear until 
when the regiment left Guayama, there were very 
few men in the hospital. The boys could purchase 



THE FOURTH 0. F. /. 225 

eggs, milk and fresh meat, and this added to what 
they could secure at the brigade store had "filled a 
long felt want" with the result that was only natural. 
As soon as the troops at Guayama were paid, the de- 
tachments were followed up and the money due them 
duly delivered. 

If the visit of Major Jones produced a good ef- 
fect on the enlisted strength of the regiment, it had 
a better effect upon the commissioned officers, for 
they were suffering really more than their men. 
Many of them "messed" with their companies, but 
even this advantage could not be enjoyed by the field 
officers for they had no men with whom they could 
board. The brigade store did a credit business to a 
very limited extent, but the officers could secure the 
same bread that was issued to the men by paying for 
it. A bakery had been established at brigade head- 
quarters, but the quality of the product was such tliat 
the operation of the bakery at home would not have 
had a serious effect on the market. Sergeant George 
Zwemer, of D company, the oldest enlisted man in the 
regiment in point of service, acted as steward for the 
headquarters officers' mess and it kept him busy gath- 
ering up food for his wards on the few pennies that 
could be raked together among the members. When 
the payment was made, however, Zwemer was a 
happy man as was also those who depended upon his 
judgment and activity for their daily bread. 

After the health of the men began to improve 
there was less cause of complaint against the Guay- 
f.ma camp, but the main cause for the desire to go 



226 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

home still existed and rumors were soon a.2:ain on 
their way about the camp. It was but a few days 
after the visit of Major Jones that a happy epoch in 
the history of the camp was made. It was the visit to 
the boys of Mr. Frank P. Klotts, a Columbus gen- 
tleman, whose son was a member of Company A. 
Mr. Klotts had come to visit his son, who had been a 
patient in the hospital, but when the father arrived 
at the camp, he learned that the son had been sent 
home on a hospital ship and that the two had uncon- 
sciously met in mid-ocean. Mr. Klotts was loaded 
down with letters from parents to their boys in the 
field and the receipt of these and the sight of "a real 
live Buckeye" as one of the men expressed it, was the 
source of much pleasure to the boys. The visitor was 
received with open arms and every comfort the place, 
afforded was bestowed upon Mr. Klotts during his 
stay in the camp. He remained but a few days and 
returned, taking with him thousands of messages to 
the folks at home. 

After the visits of the paymaster, very little oc- 
curred to break the monotony of camp life until early 
in October, when orders finally came for the dis- 
bandment of the Second brigade. The Fourth Penn- 
sylvania regiment had been sent home, nearly every 
man in the Third Illinois was either in the hospital 
or sick in quarters, so that the regiment was practic- 
ally unfit for duty, and all the work in sight had de- 
volved upon the Fourth Ohio. For this reason it was 
decided to disband the brigade and relieve the Fourth 
Ohio with fresh troops. Porto Rico was divided into 



THE FOURTH 0. K i. 227 

two military districts, the divisions of the West with 
headquarters at Ponce, General Henry commanding, 
and the division of the East under General Grant, 
with headquarters at San Juan. Accordingly what 
remained of the Fourth Ohio in the camp at Guayama 
was ordered to San Juan, with a view to the embarka- 
tion there for home. 



228 THU FOURTH 0. Y. I. 



OHAPTEE XV. 



FROM GUAYAMA TO SAN JUAN. 

Regiment Leaves Guayama Camp — "The Girl I Left Behind 
Me" — Marching Through Rain — Road to Cayey — A 
Terrible March — Arrived at Cayey — Further Detach- 
ments — Flag Raising — March to Caguas — Duty There — 
Flags Raised — March to Rio Piedros — Arrival at San 
Juan. 

The morning of the sixth day of October, 1898, 
is one that the boys of the Fourth Ohio will never for- 
get. It was then that it was definitely decided that 
the camp at Guayama would forever be abandoned 
and such information, although for many weeks 
longed for, prayed for and hoped for, was a glad sur- 
prise to every man in the command. A and E com- 
panies, which were left behind, did not fully under- 
stand why they, too, were not included in the order, 
but life with them in the city had not been attended 
with many of the inconveniences of the hillside camp, 
and they could easily see hoAv, if they were the only 
troops at Guayama, much of the unpleasantness of 
the place would be avoided. 

It was arranged that the regiment would leave 
Guayama early Thursday morning, but General 
Grant showed his confidence in the officers of the 
regiment and the ability of their men by saying to 
Ck)lonel Coit: "Colonel, you will proceed as far as 
Cayey Thursday, raise the flag there, and leaving 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 229 

Captain Potter's company in possession of the town, 
you will make headquarters at Caguas until further 
orders. I leave all to your judgment." 

Thursday morning was dark and dreary — just 
the kind of weather to drive the men into their quar- 
ters, there to exchange condolence and cigars and sing 
the songs of home. The distance from Guayama to 
Cayey is seventeen miles and the colonel realized that 
the start must be made as early as possible to make 
the trip. Dinner was ordered at 10:30, and all day 
long the men packed their belongings. As soon as 
dinner was over, wagons were driven through the 
camp for all subsistence, personal baggage and com- 
pany chests and desks. Unfortunately some of the 
men neglected that most important of a soldier's duty, 
the filling of haversacks. This was the source of 
much annoyance later on. 

At 2 o'clock all was ready and the start was 
made. It so happened that the boys got off "between 
showers," but they had not proceeded far when the 
first shower came up. The "first" might be said to 
be the only one, because it rained almost constantly 
during the entire march of seventeen miles. After 
the regiment was formed the column moved in fours 
to the music of "The Girl I Left Behind Me." Then 
the band struck up "Dixie" and "Marching Through 
Georgia." Everybody was happy. Even if it had 
been raining, snowing or anything, it would have been 
good enough for "The Day "We Leave Guayama." 

The rain began soon after the start was made. 
All the men had to carry was their canteens, haver- 



230 THE FOURTH 0. V. 1. 

sacks and rifles, so they could easily use their pon- 
chos. These are good things in light showers, but 
when they were put into service in water spouts and 
cloud bursts, they proved about as serviceable as pieces 
of mosquito bar the same size. Long before dark 
every officer and man in the regiment was as wet as 
he could be. 

The road from Guayama to Cayey has been de- 
scribed in another chapter. It is a dangerous one to 
travel in daytime and much more so at night. At 
one side, the bluffs towered high above the heads of 
the traveler and on the other the descent was as steep 
as a stone wall. A misstep at any time might have 
meant a severe collision with the sharp stones in the 
grade at one side or a fall into the darkness and gloom 
thousands of feet below at the other. To these con- 
ditions add darkness so dense that one could abso- 
lutely see nothing twelve inches in front of him, and 
one may form an idea of the march to Cayey. 

One of the interesting features of the march was 
passing along the point where A and C companies 
met with the disaster on August 8, and the sight of 
the intrenohments and fortifications which would have 
had to have been carried, had a forced movement 
toward San Juan been ordered before August 13. At 
one point the Spanish garrison could have marched 
out to the roadway, killed off a regiment in one vol- 
ley, and returned to their quarters before the next 
regiment would have had time to come up. When 
the boys saw what they might have had to encounter, 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 231 

most of them heaved a sigh of relief to realize that 
the war was actually over. 

With the darkness came an experience which 
in every particular beggars description. Wet to the 
skin, supperless, tired and weary, the men plodded 
along, all the way up hill, through narrow passes, 
where the men actually had to feel their way; where 
had a step to the side been made, the unfortunate 
would have been dashed to the rocks a thousand feet 
below; where, had a horse become frightened or 
jumped to one side, it would have meant certain 
death to himself and rider; where, had a Spanish sym- 
pathizer chosen to have done so, he could have blown 
out a culvert, and dozens of lives would have gone 
out in an instant; where if one man fell, a whole 
company would have stumbled over his prostrate 
form. 

Men who had been over the road in the daytime 
were sent ahead as guides. The regimental staff 
followed, most of the officers leading their horses. 
The guides were of little use, however, as all they 
could do was to shout back that the road was clear. 
They could announce a new turn to the right or left 
every few yards, but no one could see it, and the 
warning simply made them more careful in feeling 
for the road. 

Had it not been for the presence of an All Wise 
Providence, the regiment could not possibly have 
covered the distance. Even as it was the wagon train 
had to halt and wait for daylight. Every few min- 
utes the lightning would flash across the road, thus 



232 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

showing the way for a few feet. Often the regiment 
had to halt and wait for a flash of lightning to show 
culverts where the water could be heard roaring 
down over the precipices. A peculiar circumstance 
which seemed to be a manifestation of the presence 
of Providence was the settling of a large "lightning 
bug" on the hip of the chaplain's horse. Company 
B followed immediately after the chaplain and those 
in front could see which way to go, guided by this 
animal "pillar of fii-e." 

It was shortly after nine o'clock when the regi- 
ment reached Cayey. The wagon train with all sub- 
sistence was back in the hills and no food in the haver- 
sacks. Company commanders hustled around, how- 
ever, and secured some bread and the men were put 
to "bed" on a cold cement floor with bread and water 
for support and their clothing thoroughly soaked. 
Friday morning quinine was issued freely and as soon 
as the wagons arrived the men were given a good 
breakfast and some of them were able to secure dry 
clothes. By noon everybody was comfortably fixed, 
but no duty was assigned except to Company F and 
the First provisional battalion. 

Although Cayey had been occupied several days 
by American troops, the Stars and Stripes had not 
been ofiicially raised in the town. As Company F 
had been ordered to take possession of Cayey, that 
company was accorded the honor of raising the flag. 
The entire First Provisional battalion, organized at 
Guayama by direction of Colonel Coit, and consisting 
•of companies B, C, G and H, turned out under Cap- 



THE FOURTH O. V. I. 233 

tain Vincent. Preceded by the regimental band the 
battalion escorted F company to the city hall. 

Lieutenant McCoy and Sergeant Freeman raised 
the flag, F company fired the salute and the band 
played "The Star Spangled Banner." When the citi- 
zens saw the beautiful tri-colored banner floating over 
them, and realized what it meant, they went wild 
with excitement. After a short serenade by the band, 
the battalion marched around the plaza and public 
square, thence back to the quarters near the town. 
The Spanish flag, which had waved from the public 
hall of Oayey, became the property of Captain Vin- 
cent. The exercises of the afternoon were thoroughly 
enjoyed, and the men felt that they were amply re- 
warded already for their long weary march across the 
hills. 

At Cayey K company left the regiment to go to 
Aibonito to take possession of that and the towns in 
the district so that all that remained of the "regiment" 
was the First Provisional battalion. The start to 
Caguas was not made until Saturday morning and 
the time spent at Cayey as the guests of F company 
was for the purpose of rest. An amusing experience 
during this brief stay was a serenade by the native 
band. The members were not in uniform, either as 
to dress, time, harmony, pitch or chord. The in- 
struments were somewhat similar to those used in 
American bands except the drum or "guichara" 
which was a long ghord shaped species of calabash, 
which had been plucked while green and in the sur- 
face of which had been cut a number of small circu- 



234 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

lar grooves whicli liad become almost as hard as flint 
when the instrument had ripened in the sun. It was 
"played" by rubbing a hard stick across the grooves, 
thus making a most unearthly noise, but which 
served as a very good chronometer for the other per- 
formers. After the band had "rendered" several se^ 
lections. Colonel Coit addressed the crowd, which had 
assembled, expressing for himseK and staff, an ap- 
preciation of the serenade and the royal welcome 
which the citizens of Cayey had given the American 
troops. The crowd answered with cheer after cheer 
for the "soldados Americanos." 

An early start was made Saturday morning and 
before noon the regiment was well on its way to 
Caguas. The rains had ceased and the sun shone 
brightly, but not nearly so hot as on the day of the 
last long march on August 13th. The distance was 
about the same and the road led first to the top of the 
northern mountain chain and then down again into 
the fertile valley below, where the town of Caguas 
was situated. It was two o'clock when the regiment 
halted outside the city limits and preparations were 
made for the entrance into the city. At the time 
of the march from Guayama to Cayey, many of the 
boys would drop from the ranks and then wait for 
the baggage train to ride. This was avoided on the 
march to Caguas by sending the baggage train ahead 
of the regiment. Even this arrangement did not pre- 
vent all the boys from saving their legs, for they 
walked ahead of the regiment on some pretext or 
other and caught up with the train when they would 



THE FOURTH 0. F. /. 235 

cKmb on the wagons in spite of the protests of the 
drivers and ride over the remaining portion of the 
march. The wagon train had not been at Caguas 
more than an hour when the main column appeared. 

The regiment halted long enough for the few 
stragglers to come up and for those who had gone 
ahead to be brought back and then with colors flying, 
a triumphant entry to the city was made. A hearty 
welcome was extended to the regiment by the citi- 
zens and the town was dressed in holiday attire. 
From nearly every building the American flag 
proudly waved and the people nearly shouted them- 
selves hoarse at the sight of the troops. Captain 
Trench had occupied the town for several days with 
L company and the American flag had not only been 
raised over the public building, but it had been placed 
on every business house and private residence in the 
town. These flags were supplied by the citizens 
themselves. 

The occupation of Caguas was not attended 
with the discomforts of Guayama. The citizens were 
found to be far more intelligent and the business men 
far more reliable than those at Gnayama and these 
conditions, together with comfortable quarters in bar- 
racks for the men, made the stay at Caguas very 
pleasant. Then again there were not so many sol- 
diers to enjoy the hospitality and generosity of the 
people and this state of affairs increased the comfort 
of the men. 

Soon after the regimental headquarters had been 
established at Caguas, four nurses arrived in Porto 



236 THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 

Rico to take care of the sick of the Fourth Ohio. 
The members had written home from the camp at 
Guajama while everything was at its worst and the 
people of central Ohio had become thoroughly 
alarmed for the safety of their sons and friends in the 
island. The noble women who offered their services 
for the men of the Fourth were Sisters Mary Bren- 
dam and Mary Edberga, Miss Dr. Emma O. Jones 
and Mrs. Taylor. These ladies were eminently qual- 
ified to take care of the sick soldiers, but they did not 
arrive until September 28, and this was after the 
men had been paid and many of the sick had been 
sent home. There was still a number in the hospital, 
however, and the work of these good women was 
greatly appreciated by the physicians and by every 
officer and man in the regiment. They remained 
with the regiment until it reached Columbus, when 
they were extended the same welcome that was made 
for the men. They were made honorary members of 
the regiment and they were appointed lieutenants 
with spcial commissions by Colonel Coit. 

On October 12 Company C was sent out to the 
town of Aguas Buenos to assume charge of the town 
for the day and to convert it into an American sta- 
tion by raising the flag of the United States. Cap- 
tain Reynolds took a detachment of his company and 
accompanied by Major Baker several headquarters 
attaches and the band, the detachment rode across 
the country in wagons. The road was not a rough 
one, but it extended through one of the most pictur- 
esque sections of the island. Aguas Buenos was in 



THE FOURTH 0. V. J. 237 

the center of a rich coffee growing section and the 
people were found to be well to do and very intelK- 
gent The soldiers were welcomed to the village and 
the flag was raised over their homes with great re- 
joicing. As a part of the flag raising ceremony Major 
Baker made a brief address to the assembled populace, 
telling them to be good and that things would come 
out "all right." 

The Spanish flag, which had been on the al- 
calda's ofiice, became the property of Captain Rey- 
nolds. Major Baker was presented with a memorial 
thanking the American troops for the benefit they 
had been to the people of Porto Rico and pledging 
their allegiance to the United States. After the cere- 
mony of raising the flag, the alcalda received the 
American officers at his home with all the prominent 
citizens of the province as guests. An elaborate 
breakfast was served and after making several calls 
upon other of the officials, the detachment returned 
to Caguas. On the following day B company was 
sent to the town of Gurabo and the American flag: 
was raised there also. Here the soldiers were given a 
most hearty welcome and they were entertained with 
the best the town afforded during their brief stay. A 
detachment from H company was afterwards sent to 
Aguas Buenos, but no troops were assigned to Gurabo. 

Two days after B company returned from 
Gurabo. Captain White received orders to proceed to 
Rio Piedras and take possession of the entire district. 
Rio Piedras was on a short railway seven miles from 
the capital and the third largest town on the island. 



238 THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 

The service of the company at this station is de- 
scribed in another chapter. 

Guard duty at Caguas was performed by the 
different companies which remained, C, G and H. 
Guard was mounted each morning and the regular 
camp routine, even to evening parade, was main- 
tained as though the entire regiment was stationed in 
the city. 

One of the most pleasant features of the stay at 
Caguas was the supply of ice which was received 
daily from San Juan. This was a luxury which the 
boys had not enjoyed since they left l^ewport ^ews 
and the rapidity with which ice cream and lemonade 
disappeared would have made the keeper of a circus 
refreshment stand grow sick at heart. A concert was 
given by the band in the plaza each evening and the 
people enjoyed the music very much. There was a 
number of fine musicians at Caguas and these with 
some of the members of the band aiTanged an enter- 
tainment which proved quite a success. At first the 
soldiers were not restricted as to their mingling with 
the natives, but this privilege was abused by a few 
careless men so that by special order, at the sound- 
ing of "taps" every man in the command except 
those on guard was expected to be in quarters. 

Frequent excursions were made to San Juan the 
capital, and on the occasion of the formal possession 
of the city by the Americans on October 18, Colonel 
Coit and his staff and a large number of the men and 
officers of the regiment went to the city to witness 
the flag raising ceremonies. 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 239 

Finally, on the 28tli, the command having been 
relieved by a detachment of the First Kentucky, the 
regiment marched from Caguas to Rio Piedras. F 
and K companies had also been relieved and had 
joined the regiment. The march from Caguas, 
seventeen miles, was made in five hours, remarkably 
good time for that climate and the kind of day, for the 
sun shone almost as hot as it had on August 13, dur- 
ing the forenoon, and then in the afternoon a terrific 
rainstorm came up. F company had not started with 
the main column and these men were nearly drowned 
when they reached Rio Piedras. 

The command took dinner and a good rest at 
Rio Piedras and at four o'clock all the companies ex- 
cept B boarded a train and proceeded to San Juan. 
B company marching across the valley to the capital, 
earned the record of being the only company which 
had marched across the island from the Carribean 
sea to the Atlantic ocean. Two other companies, 
however, K and L, had marched a greater number of 
miles. 



240 THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 



CHAPTEK XYI. 



THE HOSPITAL CORPS. 

The Corps in the Fourteenth— Its Organization and Effi- 
ciency — Its Effect on Enlistment — Refused Admittance 
as a Body Into the U. S. Service— Members Enlist in 
Companies — Details at Camp Thomas — Reserve Ambu- 
lance Corps— Detachments From the Regiment— Orders 
for Porto Rico — Reunited on Massachusetts — Again 
Separated in Porto Rico — Sent to San Juan— Home 
With the Regiment — Stragglers Arrive. 

When the Fourteenth Eegiment of Infantry of 
the Ohio l\ati<nal Guards assembled for the T)urpo&e 
of entering the volunteer service of the United States, 
that organization contained one of the best auxiliaries 
for hospital service within the United States. It 
consisted under the state regulations of one major 
surgeon, three assistant surgeons, one hospital steward, 
two acting hospital stewards and twenty four privates. 

The surgeons were men who had been chosen 
for their fitness in duties which were liable at any 
time to occur in street riots and other emergency 
cases where the state militia was apt to be engaged. 
The stewards and acting stewards were men who had 
been trained by education and experience to perform 
just such duties as would be likely to devolve upon 
them in times where judgment, alacrity and precision 
were elements absolutely essential in their qualifica- 
tions as such ofiicers. The privates were all young 
men who had taken and nourished an interest in the 




FROM PONCE TO ARROYO. 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 241 

care of the sick and tliey had by study, application and 
drill acquired such an ability in the matters pertain- 
ing to active field hospital work that they were ad- 
mitedly among the best men Ohio or any other state 
could have furnished a military organization. 

It is a fact that the rapid enlistment to the 
maximum strength allowed by the government in so 
short a time was due to the fact that it was well known 
that the Fourteenth was better able to take care of 
her sick than any other regiment in the state service. 
The hospital corps was the pride of the regiment and 
of that section of the state which boasted the Four- 
teenth Infantry. Everybody fully expected that the 
hospital corps as it was organized would be a part of 
the new regiment of volunteers that was being or- 
ganized, and great was the surprise and the disap- 
pointment of not only the men and officers of the 
regiment, but the corps itself when it was learned that 
the order for the new organization would not permit 
the muster of the corps. A great effort was mad© 
by the hospital boys, the members of the regiment 
and the citizens of the state to prevail upon the gov- 
ernment authorities to arrange for the preservation 
of the corps, but the effort was in vain. 

When the time came for muster into the United 
States service, the hospital corps, as was the case with 
the signal corps, ceased to exist, at least so far as the 
Fourteenth Kegiment could be concerned. The sur- 
geon and two assistant surgeons retained the rank 
which they had held in the old regiment. The two 
acting stewards were made stewards, but that was all 



242 THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 

of the former corps as ?iich, that was accepted by the 
United States mustering officer. 

The enthusiasm in military matters, the loyalty 
to the regiment and the patriotism that the men of 
the hospital corps possessed is shown by the fact that 
as soon as it was learned that they could not enter 
the volunteer service with the regiment as an auxil- 
iary organization they were at once divided among the 
companies and enlisted as privates of infantry. They 
served as such until the regiment reached Camp 
Thomas, when they were detailed by a regimental 
order to their regimental hospital. They continued, 
however, to draw rations, clothing and pay from the 
companies in which they were enlisted, until by di- 
rection of the war department at Washington they 
were made regular members of the hospital corps, 
and assigned to duty wherever, in the judgment of 
authority higher than the head of the regiment, they 
were most needed. 

The first several Aveeks at Camp Thomas was 
attended with more or less sickness in the regiment 
on account of the change of water, diet and climatic 
conditions and the advantages of a regimental hos- 
pital corps were apparent to all, but this fact only 
made the boys of the regiment feel the more keenly 
the loss of the old militia hospital service. Under the 
circumstances, the work performed by the medical 
department, officers and men^ was as able as could 
have been expected and the fact that the regiments 
on either side of the camp of the Fourth Ohio suf- 
fered heavily from death, while the Fourth Ohio did 



THE FOURTH 0. V. 1. 243 

uot lose a single man, speaks volumes in praise of 
the discipline of the regiment and the ability and 
energy of those officers upon whose shoulders rested 
the responsibility of taking' care of the health of the 
boys from central Ohio. 

Major Surgeon Semeans remained with the regi- 
ment more than either of the other two physicians. 
He was detached for a time at Camp Thomas, in com- 
mand of the Division hospital and he was also absent 
a few weeks from the Guayama camp on account of 
his health. He worked night and day, was as untir- 
ing in his effort to serve the members of the regiment 
as a human being could be, and while he and his 
department were handicapped in peculiar ways at 
times, there was never a time when a member of the 
Fourth Ohio could not obtain any medical or surgical 
aid that he required, without going outside the lines 
of his owTi regiment. Even when it did become nec- 
essary to send a sick soldier from the regimental hos- 
pital to places where more elaborate arrangements 
had been made for his treatment, Captain Harry M. 
Taylor, one of the assistant surgeons of the regiment, 
was oftenest the man to look after his welfare. Dr. 
"Wright, the other assistant surgeon, was also de- 
tached, having served from early in June until in 
July at the Division hospital at Camp Thomas. From 
the time he rejoined the regiment he was on duty 
with the Fourth Ohio until Company M was assigned 
by Colonel Coit to assume charge of affairs at Vieques 
when the doctor was designated to accompany this 
company as its medical officer. He did not return to 



244 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

the regiment until the entire command was reunited 
at San Juan. 

The only members of the medical department 
who were not at any time detached from the regiment 
were Steward John Richards and Private Haiice. 
There was not a man in the Fourth Ohio at the time 
of muster out who did not consider himself a personal 
friend "of long standing" with either Stewards Rich- 
ards or Ritter. The latter was detached from the regi- 
mental hospital for a short time only at Camp Thomas 
and for a few weeks with F Company while that 
command occupied Cayey. 

The first medical officer to be permanently de- 
tached from the regiment was Captain Taylor. On 
June 8th the doctor was ordered to report to Major 
James Johnson, of the Sixteenth Pennsylvania regi- 
ment, to assist in forming an ambulance service for 
the First Army corps. The doctor left at once and 
the result of the consultation of these two and other 
surgeons was the formation of the "reserve ambu- 
lance corps." This was made up of men detached 
from all the various regiments stationed at the park. 
Application was first made for these detachments by 
the officers of the Reserve corps and as soon as the 
men reported to the chief surgeon they were as- 
signed first to ambulance companies and then to am- 
bulance corps as the exigencies of the service required. 
Most of the Fourth Ohio boys remained under the 
direct command of Dr. Taylor. They were together 
throughout all the Porto Rican campaign until in Oc- 
tober, when the corps was disbanded at Guayama. 
Two of these men, Curry James and Stephen Darby, 



THE FOURTH 0. F. /. 245 

were promoted to the rank of acting hospital steward 
while in this service. 

Those of the Fourth Ohio who were not as- 
signed to this work were Privates Judkins, Pringle, 
Wright, Moon and Davis. These were assigned to 
the First Division hospital while the regiment was at 
Camp Thomas. The latter was discharged from the 
service before the close of the war, but the remaining 
four did not return to their command until in Janu- 
ary, 1899, after the regiment had returned to Colum- 
bus in November, 1898. Privates Judkins and 
Pringle had been assigned to the Third Brigade hos- 
pital, and Moon and Wright to the Reserve Hospital 
company. 

Up to July 20, Captain Taylor filled at the Re- 
serve Ambulance corps at Camp Thomas, the offices 
of Quartermaster, Commissary, Ordnance Officer and 
Medical Purveyor. At the date mentioned he was re- 
lieved of all these duties, but was continued in the 
service of the corps, and on August 20 he was made 
acting brigade surgeon of the Second brigade, First 
division, First corps. On September 1st, 1898, at the 
time of the retirement of Major Frank Boyd, of the 
Third Kentucky, Dr. Taylor became the commanding 
officer of the Reserve Ambulance company near 
Guayama, which command he retained until this 
hospital was ordered disbanded and the Fourth Ohio 
started for San Juan on October 6. 

On July 20 the ambulance corps was ordered 
to move from Camp Thomas to 'New Port News, Yir- 
ginia, preparatory to embarking to Porto Rico. The 



246 TEE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

transport Massachusetts was provided and besides the 
regular hospital outfit, there was loaded on the Massa- 
chusetts, eleven hundred horses and mules, and two 
million rations for General Brooke's army. 

The Massachusetts sailed on July 26th and ar- 
rived outside the harbor at Ponce on Tuesday, Aug- 
ust 2. Here the Massachusetts struck a coral reef 
and she was unable to move. The horses were all un- 
loaded and taken to shore in lighters and this without 
the loss of an animal. 

The Massachusetts was relieved of all its cargo 
and passengers by the evening of August 7th. As 
soon as the landing was made, the hospital outfit and 
the escort went into camp on the outskirts of Ponce. 
The next morning, Monday, August 8, the start was 
made for Arroyo where the entire Second brigade 
was supposed to b^, but which in reality was at Guay- 
ama, ready for an attack at any moment. The march 
from Ponce was in command of Captain Williamson, 
a regular army officer and a member of General 
Brooke's staff. Lieutenant Fred Whiley, of I com- 
pany. Fourth Ohio, was with the party, his duties be- 
ing to look after the stock in general and to take care 
of Fourth Ohio property in particular. There was an 
escort of two troops of cavalry, one a Philadelphia 
troop and the other Troop H, of the Sixth regulars. 
There were two signal corps companies in the com- 
mand, but they were only partly armed. What arms 
they did possess consisted of a variety of revolvers 
and rifles so badly mixed as to pattern and calibre 
that no such thinq- as uniformitv existed. 



THE FOURTH O. V. I. 247 

i 

Besides the quartermaster's stores tliat had to be 
conveyed in wagons, there was the entire mule coral 
and the horses to be taken. The order of march was 
in column of fours and a jolly time was seen before 
the column was ready to move. 

The general plan for handling the mules was for 
one man to ride a mule and lead three. It would 
probably have been easier for the rider if the rule had 
been reversed and there had been three men for each 
mule. They twisted together, kicked, ran, broke 
their halters and in fact performed all the antics 
known only to the typical government mule and be- 
fore the column was ready to start, Dr. Taylor had 
sent three men to the hospital with a brilliant pros- 
pect of sending the rest of the command to bed before 
the column had moved a mile, 

Finally, when all was supposed to be ready, the 
command ^'Forward March" was given and the col- 
umn proceeded to "march," some of it forward, an- 
other part backward, to either side, and indeed some 
of it straight up into the air. That "start" was an ex- 
perience entirely new to the members of the Fourth 
Ohio medical department, but it was one they never 
forgot. 

As soon as the mules and the riders became ac- 
quainted and learned how to "take" each other, better 
progress was made, but before the command reached 
Arroyo, seventeen army mules had gone to their re- 
ward and had to be accounted for by responsible offi- 
cers after the march was ended and the war was over. 
It has been said by those who have had experience 



248 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

with army mules that these animals are a source of 
vexation from the time they make their appearance 
on earth until long after they are dead. 

The second night out in the march, the boys met 
with another experience which they never forgot. 
The line of march extended along the road known as 
the "coast road." This road was in many places a 
mere trail and the mud in the lower districts was al- 
most bottomless. Progress was naturally slow, but in 
addition to this mud there were streams to ford, causr 
ing increased delay and greater danger to life and 
property, and the entire country was infested with 
Spanish g-uerrillas. This was the first expedition to 
go in this direction along this route and a great pre- 
caution was as a matter of course maintained at all 
times. As soon as a camp was established strong 
picket lines were formed and outposts were estab- 
lished. On the night referred to, a number of shots 
were heard near one of the outposts and the result 
was considerable confusion in camp. One of the sur- 
geons, not a member of the Fourth Ohio, pulled down 
his shelter tent from over his mate, packed all his be- 
longings, climbed in his saddle and remained there 
until daylight, unheedful of the reproaches and jests 
of his comrades. 

It was learned that the shots came from an at- 
tack on the outposts by a band of guerrillas, but the 
cavalrymen were too much for the Dons and their 
attack was easily repelled after the exchange of a 
few moments' hot firing. The loss sustained to the 
hospital command was nothing but two Porto Rican 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 249 

camp followers were killed. Tlie loss to the attack- 
ing party was never leai-ned. The march was re- 
sumed on the following morning and no trouble of 
this kind was met from that on to the end of the jour- 
ney. 

Arroyo was reached on August 10th and a gen- 
eral hospital was at once established. It was in exist- 
ence a very short time, however, for during Thurs- 
day night and early Friday morning the hospital was 
moved in a blinding rain to Guayama. Their removal 
under these circumstances caused considerable un- 
favorable comment at the time and for some time aft- 
erwards, but the removal was made in anticipation of 
a concerted movement of the American forces toward 
the north and was an absolute necessity. As a mat- 
ter of fact hostilities were suspended during the next 
twentyfour hours, but the authorities were certainly 
justified in making this preparation for taking care 
of the thousands who would have been wounded had 
that movement been made. 

Hostilities having ceased, preparations w^ere at 
once made to continue the hospital at Guayama. A 
location was selected at the top of a broad hill just 
east of the city. There was plenty of room, a good 
breeze always stirring and the drainage was perfect. 
Aside from the fact that there was no shade except 
what was afforded by the tents, this spot was a delight- 
ful place for the location of a field hospital. Many 
a poor fellow was nursed back to health from a 
burning tropical fever at this hospital and many a 
poor fellow was mustered out of the service forever 



250 THE FOURTH 0. T. I. 

within its tented wards during the following months. 
It continued in use until the forenoon of October 7th, 
when it was ordered broken up by General Grant. 

It was here that Dr. Taylor rejoined the regi- 
ment. Dr. Semans was at that time himself a patient 
in the hospital and the health of the regiment was at 
once placed in the hands of Dr. Taylor, Dr. Wright 
still being at Isabel Segunda with M company. The 
enlisted force of the medical department, however, 
was ordered to San Juan to duty in the general hos- 
pital there and that duty continued until the regiment 
was ready to leave the island. 

These men had applied for release from that 
duty but their appeals were not heeded. Colonel 
Coit ordered them to return to the regiment, but 
technically they were out of his control and the boys 
were unable to obey the order. Privates Judkins, 
Piingle and Moon were still at Ponce ig-norant of 
the fact that their comrades were returning home. 
The officers of the regiment did all in their power to 
secure the release of the boys at San Juan, but all 
seemed to be in vain until it was decided to stand on 
the fact that the regulations of the army provide that 
a traveling command is entitled to what is equal to 
one-twelfth of its strength in hospital help. This was 
applied for and granted. Then a member of General 
Brooke's staff was given the names of the Fourth 
Ohio men and these were the men assigned to accom- 
pany the regiment on the Chester. When Columbus 
was reached it was an easv matter to obtain the dis- 
charge of the hospital force. 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 251 

After the entire regiment was reunited at San 
Juan, the trip back to the starting point was void of 
interesting incident to the medical department, as 
they were kept busy from the time the Chester 
steamed out of the harbor at San Juan until the regi- 
ment landed at the auditorium at Columbus. Even 
then while the remainder of the regiment was enjoy- 
ing a furlough of sixty days, members of the medical 
department were on duty at the auditorium, read^' to 
look after the physical welfare of the boys. 

This chapter has told in a feeble manner, the 
work of the hospital force of the Fourth Ohio. "The 
half has not been told." In fact, if the medical de- 
partment of the Fourth Ohio were to be given all the 
credit they deserve, it would be necessary to devote 
to the story of their labors, a volume much larger than 
this. To use the language of a western statesman, 
these men "knowed their dutv and done it well." No 
one could do more. 



252 THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



ARMY OF OCCUPATION. 

What (General Brooke Said of the Fourth Ohio — D Company 
to Humacao — A Forty Miles' March — M Company by 
Sea to Vieques — Duty at Fajardo — Trouble at Carolina — 
Beautiful Country at Aibonito — An Officer Assaulted 
at Cayey — B Company at Rio Piedras — Record of 
Events in the Companies Which Americanized the 
Eastern Third of Porto Rico. 



COMPANY D AT HUMACAO. 

If a straight line be drawn across the map of 
Porto Rico from Ponce on the south to San Juan at 
the north, about one-third of the area and population 
of the entire island will be seen to lie at the east. 
This territory and also that of Vieques was not won 
bj the Fourth Ohio from the hands of the Spanish 
any more than by the other regiments which perform- 
ed duty in the war, but it was occupied by the Fourth 
Ohio during the most critical period in the change 
from Spanish to American government of the island. 
Just why this duty was assigned to the Fourth Ohio 
when there were two other regiments in the same bri- 
gade and several other brigades in the island is not 
explained in the orders designating Fourth Ohio com- 
panies to the different stations, but the language of 
General Brooke at the time of the departure of the 
regiment to the states seems to throw considerable 
light on the subject. 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 253 

Said General Brooke : ''This regiment is one of 
the best on the island, volunteer or regular. At one 
time I had but two volunteer regiments in my com- 
mand. They were the Fourth Ohio and First Ken- 
tucky. All the others were either too homesick for 
duty or they were transformed into regimental hos- 
pitals." 

It was certainly a pleasure for the members of 
the regiment to realize that this was their standing 
^^ith the commanding general, but it seemed strange 
sometimes to see the other regiments lying about 
camp doing nothing while they were busy patrolling 
the eastern third of the island. It required four dif- 
ferent regiments to take care of the other two-thirds, 
and even then there were depredations committed 
in all the eastern part of the island, while the duty of 
the Fourth Ohio was characterized by a happy, 
quiet condition of the whole territory in which the 
regiment was stationed. The provost duty of the 
Fourth Ohio began on the evening of the capture of 
Guayama, when Company B was given charge of the 
town. This was only broken twice, when the other 
regiments took up the work at Guayama temporarily. 
Then came the tour of duty of A and E Companies, 
lasting from the middle of August until they boarded 
the Chester to return to the states, and of the other 
companies after September 20 to the same time. 
After the detachment just mentioned, D company was 
ordered to Humacao. The order, dated September 
17th, reads as follows: 



254 THE FOURTH 0. T. I. 

"The brigade general commanding directs that 
you will immediately prepare a company of your 
regiment to take station at Hiunacao, P. R. They 
must be fully equipped and take their tentage and 
thirty days' rations, which the brigade commissary 
will issue to them. The company must start this 
afternoon and reach Humacao about 8 a. m., Mon- 
day, September 19th. They will take a U. S. flag 
to be raised in the town. If you have no flag, the 
brigade quartermaster will furnish one. 
"Very respectfully, 

"0. W. FENTEN, A. A. G." 

On the receipt of this order Company D was at 
once designated by Colonel Coit to take this station. 
This company had on the evening of the parade at the 
Guayama plaza, the strongest line in the regiment. 
Arrangements were at once made for the start and 
before evening of the day on which the order was re- 
ceived, the company was on its way, completing the 
march of forty miles over mountain roads and reach- 
ing their destination at 8 o'clock Monday Morning, 
September 19th. The following is extracted from 
the several reports made by Captain Sellers to Gen- 
eral Grant: 

"The company marched to a point about eight 
miles distant from the regimental camp, when we 
went into camp for the night. Resumed the march 
at 5 a. m., September 18th, and marched until noon, 
when command halted for mess. March resumed at 
3 p. m. an^i 4 j). m. Maunabo was reached. From 
Pnglish-speaking natives and others I learned that 



TEE FOURTH 0. V. I. 255 

the mountain road was impassable to our wagons. 
Deeming my orders to reach Humacao at a certain 
time to be imperative, I took Lieutenant Turner and 
thirty-five men and started for Humacao, lea\dng 
rest of company and wagon train in charge of Lieu- 
tenant ISTewlove at Manaubo, with orders to follow 
Monday morning. 

"We left Maunabo at 4:30 p. m. and arrived at 
the top of the mountain at 6 p. m., where I ordered 
a halt. Personally inspecting the road as we came 
over it, I found that it would be utterly impossible 
to bring our wagons. I sent word to Lieutenant 
Newlove to remain in Maunabo until further orders. 
Marched down the mountain and arrived at Yabocoa 
at 9 p. m., September 18th. Finding the distance 
to Humacao could be covered in four hours, I de- 
cided to stay in Yabacoa for the night. We left the 
town at 4 a. m. and at Y :45 a. m. arrived at Humacao. 
I immediately proceeded to the residence of the lieu- 
tenant colonel in command of the Spanish forces 
here and found that their orders were not to vacate 
the town until September 22nd. In order to pre- 
vent trouble I granted an extension of one hour in 
order that he might confer with his commanding 
general, which he did at once. In about a half hour 
I received the following telegram : 

" 'There has been some mistake in the time of 
your arrival in Humacao. You will now await out- 
side the town the time when Spanish troops will 
vacate, which will be on Thursday, September 22nd.' 



256 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

"Having no tentage or rations I secured tlie use 
of a large house about one-half mile south from the 
town, where we went in quarters to await evacuation 
of Spanish troops. No sickness of any kind among 
the men who accompanied me over the mountain to 
Humacao. The morning of the 22nd Lieutenant 
ISTewlove with his detail marched from the coast to 
Humacao and with the entire company I proceeded to 
the City Hall, and raising the American flag, took 
possession of the city at 8 a. m., September 22nd. 
The raising of the flag was done with the usual 
honors. I then proceeded with a detail to the cus- 
toms house six miles distant and raised the flag. 
Will make due examination of the books and papers 
and report as soon as possible. 

"After raising the flag on the 22nd the mayor, 
clerk of register and notary public refused to serve. 
I called a meeting of the more prominent citizens and 
explained that I was not sent here to make changes 
unless positively necessary, but everything was to 
nm as before. I asked them to name good native 
citizens competent to fill the offices and I appointed 
Jaquine Nasereer Berries mayor and Jose Toro Rias 
clerk of registers to serve during the pleasure of the 
U. S. government. The notary public had orders to 
deliver the records over to the presiding judge and I 
decided that the judge was competent to name a man 
to fill the office, and he decided that the proper man 
was the first deputy, who is now in charge of the 
office. One-half the council refuses to serve, but I 
did nothing toward filling their places. 



THE FOURTH 0. T. I. 257 

"After raising the flag at the customs house, 
which is on the beach six miles distant, the captain 
of the port, upon orders of his superior, took mv re- 
ceipt for the books and papers of his office, and after 
consultation with the collector of customs I ap- 
pointed Eugene Lopez to take charge of the office, 
taking his receipt for the same. 

"After cleaning and purifying the barracks, 
under the supervision of my hospital steward, I 
moved the company into them. The barracks arc 
large and in fair condition and situated within one 
square of the court house. The water supply is very 
poor, all water having to be hauled from the river 
some distance away. Have made temporary arrange- 
ments with the same man who furnished water for 
the Spanish forces. Our health is good, no one in 
the hospital. 

"The city prison is located in the rear of the 
court house and has about ninety prisoners. It re- 
quires fifteen men to guard it, which is the same as 
the Spanish had. I have a detail of one corporal 
and six men at the beach. The customs house of 
Humacao receives all the reports and money taken 
in by the customs houses at Naugabo and Fajardo. 
The books and papers seem to be well taken care of. 
Office and house clean. This office received for the 
year ending July 1st, '98, from all sources, $85,- 
038.36, of which $7448 were received from Naugabo 
and $16,182 from Fajardo. The man at the cus- 
toms house seems to be competent to fill the place 
and I have appointed him deputy collector. 



258 TEE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 

"On the 28th inst. I ordered Lieutenant Turner 
to take a squad of twelve men and proceed to Naugabo 
and raise the flag and infonn the mayor that that 
town was under the supervision of the United States, 
and in case of trouble to notify me. Lieutenant 
Turner returned to Humacao at 6 p. m. on the 28th 
and reported that he had executed my order and that 
he had found the situation in that neighborhood 
quiet." 

On the 30th of September, in obedience to or- 
ders from the brigade commander. Lieutenant Turner 
and a detail was sent to the towns of Juncas and 
Piedras for the purpose of raising the American flag 
at those places. On his return everything was re- 
ported quiet at Piedras, but at Juncas the mayor re- 
fused to continue in office under American rule and 
promptly sent his resignation, turning the office over 
to the first deputy. This arrangement seems to have 
suited the deputy first rate, as he wrote the next day 
that he had everything in his care and in good shape. 
He was continued in office. 

On October 1st Captain Sellers and a squad 
raised the flag and appointed a new mayor at the town 
of Yabucao, and on the 4th Lieutenant Turner and a 
squad visited the town of San Lorenzo. This town 
was also made American and everything seemed to 
be very satisfactory with the greater number of 
people. 

When the company reached Humacao, the police 
officers carried short swords or "machetes." These 
were taken up and maces given them and they were 



THE FOURTH O. V. I. 259 

uniformed according to the American idea. The 
town was thoroughly cleaned from one end to the 
other and forty prisoners were taken from the jail and 
put to work on the roads. No rum was permitted to 
be sold to the soldiers. Eight mounted patrolmen 
traversed the country immediately surroimding 
Humacao, and during his stay there Captain Sellers 
made visits to the other towns, keeping in touch with 
the civil authorities and rendering them all the aid 
in his power. 

At no time was there any sickness in the com- 
pany worthy of mention. Steward Burr, of the hos- 
pital department, and Dr. Wilson, one of the enlisted 
men who had 2:iven their services as surgeons, were 
at this station, and in his reports Captain Sellers 
praises both. The company remained at Humacao 
until October 25th, when it was relieved by the 
Forty-seventh New York from the Chester. 
Humacao was a much better town than Guayama 
and the soldiers and citizens were much warmer 
friends. As evidence of the esteem in which the 
company and its commander were held in the hearts 
of the people at Humacao, the following copy of a 
message sent to General Brooke at the time the com- 
pany was about to leave for the United States is 
given: 

"Since the 22nd of last September, on which 
floats in this city the American flag, hoisted in the 
name of your government by the worthy Captain 
Chas. F. Sellers, this people, sir, have nothing but 
congratulations for you and for General Grant, for 



260 TEE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

the proper appointment of Mr. Sellers, who has ruled 
the destinies of this military district with as much 
justice as courtesy. 

"Therefore, today, on having notice that perhaps 
they would relieve the forces that said captain com- 
mands, ably assisted by Lieutenant Turner and sub- 
altern officers, the town en masse, sir, assist me, in 
order that with the Board of Magistrates, we may 
formulate a respectful petition before you, to the end 
that if it is not a hindrance to your plans, you may 
be pleased to leave Captain Sellers in this city, thus 
satisfying a strong desire of this town where he has 
gained so many s^nnpathies by his honesty, good 
judgment and gentility. 

"At the same time the populations of Yabucoa, 
San Lorenzo, Junces Piedros and Naguabo, by means 
of their representatives, join in making this, their 
manifestation. 

"Be it known for all time, that our gratitude to 
you will be profoimd, if we ol^tain, that this chief 
may continue among us, even though it may be for a 
little longer time." 

ON THE ISLAND OF VIEQUES. 

Company D having been assigned to special 
duty, selected on account of its fine appearance at the 
big parade in Guayama plaza. Company M was 
chosen for special service. Notwithstanding the fact 
that the company presented a fine appearance in itself, 
it was in bad condition as to commissioned officers. 
Captain Bostwick had been compelled to go to the 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 261 

hospital and finally tu return to the states on accoimt 
of sickness, and Second Lieutenant George M. 
Florence had been left at Newport News, Va., on ac- 
count of typhoid fever. This left Lieutenant Dufiy 
in command of the company and the only officer 
present for duty. The lieutenant was capable enough 
to take charge of the company ''lone-handed" under 
ordinary conditions, but it was not deemed advisable 
to detach the company for any length of time with- 
out giving him some assistance. To this end First 
Lieutenant Fred S. Whiley, of I Company, was as- 
signed to M Company, and he accompanied the expe- 
dition about to be described. Having had consider- 
able experience with quartermasters' stores. Lieuten- 
ant Whiley proved himself a valuable addition to the 
company. 

Company M was ordered on September I7th to 
go to the island of Vieques, a small island some dis- 
tance off the main land of Porto Rico. In the order 
the company was directed to leave Guayama on the 
19th and to assume control of the government of the 
entire island. About 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon, 
however, the order was changed so that the company 
was directed to leave Guayama on the 18th. The 
start was made, therefore, about 5 o'clock on the even- 
ing of the day designated. 

Besides M Company there were in the party 
Colonel Coit, Captain Fenten (General Grant's adju- 
tant), Captain Wright, who was to look after the 
health of the company during its stay on the island; 
Captain Danavin, Civilian Aide Weiner, also of Gen- 



262 TEE FOURTH 0. F. /. 

eral Grant's staff; the Fourth Ohio band and a num- 
ber of regimental headquarters attaches. The com- 
pany left the camp and passed in review at brigade 
headquarters, then proceeded to Arroyo, which sta- 
tion was reached about 8 o'clock the same evening. 
Eighteen wagons were required to remove the com- 
pany and its baggage, but as soon as everything could 
be unloaded and stored temporarily in the customs 
house at Arroyo, the wagon train was permitted to 
return to Guayama. This work completed, the com- 
pany put up for the night. 

About 3 o'clock the next morning word was re- 
ceived from Lieutenant Newlove of Company D, an- 
nouncing the trouble met by their baggage train at 
Maunabo. Arrangements were accordingly made to 
help him out of his difficulty. On the morning of the 
19th the Stillwater appeared in the harbor and ar- 
rangements were at once made for the start to Vie- 
ques. It was 3 o'clock of the same afternoon, how- 
ever, before the start was made, and sailing under 
favorable conditions the Stillwater arrived off Mauna- 
bo at about 5 o'clock on the same evening. Here the 
stranded baggage of D Company was taken on, but 
the task of loading was not completed until nearly 
midnight, and the Stillwater being in strange waters, 
the trip was not resumed until the morning of the 
20th. Sailing down the coast the port of Humacoa, 
or Point Santiago, was reached, and the D Company 
detachment disembarked. Colonel Coit, Captain 
Fenten, Captain Wright, Captain Donavin and Major 
Hogan, of the Stillwater, also disembarked and went 



TEE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 263 

over to the city of Humacoa, about five miles inland, 
to participate in tlie flag raising ceremonies with 
Captain k'ellers. The party did not return to the 
Stillwater until late that night, and then they 
had a bad time of it, the storms of the autumnal 
equinox being at that time at their worst. Before 
Point Santiago was left, however, the Stillwater had 
the experience of making a capture, a Spanish schoon- 
er having sailed into the harbor. The captain of the 
vessel readily hauled down the red and yellow banner 
and his vessel sailed from that day on under the Stars 
and Stripes. This arrangement was perfectly agree- 
able to the captain of the vessel, however, as he had 
requested an American flag to be used for that pur- 
pose. Word was also received that the company 
was not exrected to take possession of the island of 
Vieques until 12 o'clock noon of the 21st. 

It was 11 o'clock when the Stillwater arrived in 
the harbor at Isabel Segunda. Arrangements were 
at once made for disembarking, and about sixty of 
the ninety men in the company boarded lighters. 
The band and all the officers also boarded lighters 
and small boats and the command was towed into 
the shore. As the soldiers approached the landing, 
the rocks to the right were fairly black with people 
who had rushed to the water's edge to welcome their 
visitors, shouting at the top of their voices a royal 
welcome. To the left of the landing, however, there 
was an entirely different scene. There in front of 
the beautiful light house were the Spanish soldiers 
drawn up in line, waiting for their conquerers to take 



264 THE FOURTH O. Y. /. 

the final step toward the acquisition of more of their 
territory. 

Besides the crowd of citizens, the soldiers were 
met at the landing by the mayor of the town and by 
the colonel and captain who had occupied the fort at 
this station. All the officers except Lieutenant 
Whiley, who remained with the troops, went ashore 
and up to the fort, which stood on a promontory 
back of the town, where the formal arrangements 
were made for the turning over of the island to lieu- 
tenant Duffy. All arrangements having been com- 
pleted for the transfer, word was sent back to the 
men who in the meantime had effected a landing^ 
and were waiting imder Lieutenant Whiley at the 
customs house. By direction of Colonel Coit the 
company marched to the Episcopal church, which, by 
the way, was one of the only two Protestant churches 
in that part of the Spanish possessions. Here the 
rector, Kev. Been, conducted a praise service. A 
blessing was formally invoked upon a beautiful 
American flag, and at exactly 12 o'clock noon, thia 
flag was officially hoisted above the highest parapet 
of the fort by First Sergeant C. K. Crum. 

This was the first American flag ever raised in 
that part of the world and by that act another valu- 
able possession came into the hands of the United 
States. 

Immediately after the flag raising ceremonies, 
the officers were breakfasted by the customs officer. 
At 3 o'clock in the afternoon the officers repaired to 
the apothecary shop of Senor Victor Dutiel, who 




SCENE NEAR FAJARDO. 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 266 

acted as interpreter, and the transfer papers wei*e 
formally completed and signed by Captain Francisco 
Rasineras, of the Spanish army, and First Lieutenant 
Charles G. Duffy, of the Fourth Ohio Volunteer In- 
fantry, special commissioners for the United States 
and the Kingdom of Spain. Shortly after this all 
the officers except those who were to remain on the 
island, and the band returned to the Stillwater and 
sailed for Arroyo, leaving Lieutenant Duffy and 
Company M "monarchs of all they surveyed." 

One of the first duties for the company to per- 
form was to find ''where they were at." Vieques 
was found to be an island containing 5528 peopla 
There were two towns, Isabel Segunda, the capital, 
and Mosquito. The wealth of the island consisted 
principally of cattle, horses and sugar, while in the 
extreme eastern end of the island were the "Lai 
Salinas" lagoons. With the investment of a little 
capital it was learned that the salt producing in- 
dustry here would soon develop into importance. 

The people were found to excel in every way 
the inhabitants of Porto Eico. Their homes were 
more conveniently and more comfortably furnished 
and the island which they occupied was seen to be a 
very healthful one. One of the proofs of this con- 
dition is that during all the time the company was on 
the island there was not a time when more than three 
men reported to the hospital in one day and there 
was usually but one. Soldiers who accompanied the 
company there weak and frail, left the island sound 
and healthy men. Dr. Wright, who had made the 



266 THE FOURTH 0. 7. /. 

sanitary conditions a careful study, reported that of 
all the Spanish countries he had yet seen, Vieques 
was the ideal location for a health resort. 

The people were willing and anxious to aid the 
military in reorganizing the government of the island, 
Not a single outrage was committed in the island 
while the company occupied it. One of the first 
reforms worked by Lieutenant Duff}' was the re- 
organization of the schools and the employment of 
English-speaking teachers. Other accomplishments 
M^ere the amicable settlement of the questions of 
church and state, appointment of a new mayor, 
municipal government rearranged and two new coun- 
cilmen appointed, the thorough patrol of the entire 
island by mounted patrolmen, appointment of new 
civil and criminal judges, the discharge of six customs 
officers and the rearrangement of salaries, a thorough 
cleansing of streets and public buildings and a gen- 
eral "house cleaning" from one end of the island to 
the other. 

In all this work the citizens entered with a spirit 
that showed a determination to become good Ameri- 
can citizens. Isabel Segunda was visited by a United 
States treasury officer, who made a careful inspection 
of the customs office and pronounced everything in 
excellent condition. The work done by M Company 
was certainly an excellent one and the people of the 
island thoroughly appreciated all that was done for 
them. They treated the soldiers with all the hospi- 
tality known to civilization and feasts and banquets 
were the order of the day from the first to the last of 



THE FOURTH 0. T. I. 267 

every week. As the population was largely made 
up of French the science of good eating was generally 
pretty well understood by the people, and this knowl- 
edge was thoroughly appreciated by the soldiers, who 
were invited to test it. Fine ponies were brought to 
the fort and placed at the disposal of the troops and 
cows were brought in so that they might have fresh 
milk all the time. The very finest cattle were killed 
for their benefit and the "finest of the land" was at 
all times at the disposal of the company, whose mem- 
bers lived like so many kings during their entire stay 
in the island. 

On September 26th Major Jones arrived at the 
island with money with which to pay the men, but 
money to them was "as filthy lucre," for although 
they were "strapped" for the most part, they could 
get almost anything they wanted without paying for 
it, as the people were glad to give it to them. With 
the pavmaster, however, came Lieutenants Hamil and 
Ward, of Companies B and G, who relieved Lieuten- 
ant Whiley, his own company having been assigned 
to similar duty at Fajardo. 

A communication by means of the heliograph 
was established between Isabel Segimda and Fajardo, 
and this added much to the convenience and pleasure 
of the company. The same was tried with Humacoa, 
but the experiment failed. A yacht was placed at 
the disposal of the company, however, and when the 
weather would permit, trips were made acro^ the 
channel and visits made to the other companies in the 
eastern part of Porto Rico. 



268 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

During tlie entire stay of the companj on the 
island the boys enjoyed the same hospitality and the 
same friendship with the citizens until on the 26th of 
October, when the steamer Chester arrived at the 
harbor with a company of the Forty-seventh New 
York to relieve them. Although the boys were glad 
to return to their homes they could not, however, 
leave the island and their numerous friends without 
a feeling of reluctance. Just before taldng his de- 
parture Lieutenant Duffy, Dr. Wright and Lieuten- 
ants Hamil and Ward were banqueted, and at the 
close of the festivities, a petition was presented to be 
conveyed to the president of the United States, asking 
that Lieutenant Duffy be sent to the island as its 
governor. This petition was signed by every land 
owner in the island. 

DETACHMENT TO FAJARDO. 

The next company to receive orders for detached 
service was Company I, of Lancaster, Captain Palmer 
commanding. The company left Guayama a few 
days after the paymaster had visited the Fourth and 
the boys of the company were feeling in excellent 
condition for almost any kind of service. "Anything 
to get away from Guayama," was the general motto, 
and I Company was not an exception in this matter. 
The service of Company I is well described in the 
report which Captain Palmer made to General Grant, 
given in full as follows: 



THE FOURTH 0. V. J. 269 

Fajardo. P. R., Oct., 5th, 1898. 
Brigadier General Grant, Commanding Second Brigade 
First Division, First Corps: 
Sir — In accordance with orders received from 
brigade headquarters September 26th, 1898, I left 
Guayama, P. R., with my company en route to Fa- 
jardo on September 28th, 1898. At 2 p. m. that 
date we embarked on the "Gypsum King," then lay- 
ing off Arroyo. The following day at 2:30 p. m. we 
landed at Fajai'do beach and immediately took pos- 
session of the customs house and raised the United 
States flag thereon. In this building I am using a 
large room as a store for Q. M. and commissary sup- 
plies, the place being guarded by two non-commis- 
aioned officers and six privates. 

Here I met a Mr. Bird, a prominent citizen of 
the town. Assisted by him I examined the books of 
the customs authorities and, as far as I could discern, 
and according to Mi\ Bird's decision, the books and 
accounts were in good order. 

At 4 p. m. the same day the United States flag 
was raised over the alcalde's office in this town amidst 
great rejoicing of the people. On the 30th of Sep- 
tember I reinstated C. Andrew as alcalde. 

This gentleman was legally elected and is their 
choice. He had to leave here some time ago because 
the Spaniards would not permit him to remain in the 
town. On this day the town council met and re- 
organized. With the exception of two, all the old 
members were retained. The two mentioned — one 
a Spaniard, the other a Cuban — resigned because they 



270 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

could not bear allegiance to America. At ttis meet- 
ing the following officials were appointed for the time 
being: Collector of Customs, Edwardo Alonzo; 
Paymaster of Customs, Manuel Guzman; Captain of 
Port, Jovito Perovia; Judge, Jose Garcia. The po- 
lice force was reduced from nine to five. The cus- 
toms house staff from ten to seven. The captain of port 
had two assistants. Both of these men were dis- 
charged. It is my opinion, these appointments and 
reductions will prove beneficial. 

As there is no land here suitable for a camp 
without renting it, my men are now quartered in an 
old theater which was formerly used by Spanish 
troops. The only water I can obtain has to be hauled 
from the river near by. It is not of the best quality, 
owing to the constant rains and the fact that most of 
the people bathe and wash clothes therein. 

At 3 p. m. on the 2nd of October the United 
States flag was raised in the town of Ceibe. The 
natives were jubilant and orderly. As the place is 
quiet there is no need for a guard to be stationed 
there. 

Yesterday morning at 10:15 a. m. the United 
States flag was raised above the alcalde's office at 
Loquillo. Here, as in Ceibo, a guard is not necesr 
sary. I have instructed the alcaldes of both towns 
that if they ever need assistance to let me know. I 
will visit these places every few days. 

In the towns of Fajardo, Cfeibo and Loquillo 
there is no disorder, all the people being seemingly 
well pleased with American occupation. 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 271 

Before closing tliis report I wish to mention Mr. 
H. Bird. He has been of inestimable value to me. 
He has neglected his business to assist me here and in 
the other towns. Too much credit cannot be given 
him for his faithfulness. 

I have the honor to be, sir, respectfully, 
L. H. PALMER, 
Captain Company I, Fourth O. Y. L 

One of the advantages enjoyed by I Company, 
and which also was the source of a great deal of satis- 
faction to the other companies occupying the eastern 
portion of the island, was that many of the citizens 
spoke the English language very well. This made 
the employment of interpreters less necessary and less 
difficult. For this reason also, the members of the 
companies were better enabled to buy provisions from 
the native markets, and when they were entertained 
away from the barracks, their pleasure was not 
marred by being unable to converse with their hosts 
as had been the case at Guayama and some of the 
other towns. 

It was the good fortune of the company to havek 
Dr. Samuel K. Carson, a member of A Company, asr 
signed to them as medical officer. Dr. Carson had no 
commission, was merely a private, but he was a gradu- 
ate in medicine, was enthusiastic in his profession, 
and not only stood well at the college he had just 
left, but also with every one with whom he came in 
contact. Fortunately there was little sickness in the 
company while at Fajardo, but Dr. Carson performed 
this duty as well and as freely as though he had held 



272 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

a commission as a medical officer. His work with the 
company was highly appreciated by the officers and 
men of the regiment. 

At no time during the stay of the company at 
Fajardo was there any clash between the citizens and 
the soldiers and the stay was mutually a pleasant one 
until the Chester appeared in the harbor and the 
boys embarked for home. 

COMPANY L AT CAROLINA. 

The service of nearly all the detached companies 
in Porto Rico was characterized by the kindly feeling 
extended to the soldiers by the natives in whose midst 
they had been sent. One of the exceptions to this 
rule, however, was the service of Company L, Cap- 
tain F. M. French commanding. Company L had 
made for itseK a record at Camp Thomas as one of 
the best disciplined and most orderly divisions of the 
regiment, and it was very fortunate indeed that this 
particular company was assigned to the post it occu- 
pied in Porto Rico. The company was organized at 
Mt. Vernon and was made up of the kind of men 
who are willing to go anywhere or do anything that 
comes along the line of duty, and the greatest reward 
they could have received for their work was the con- 
sciousness that the duty had been performed to the 
best of their ability. 

After the regimental camp had been formed at 
Guayama, L Company remained in its regular camp 
position until 2 o'clock on the morning of October 
5th. 



TUE FOURTH 0. V. I. 273 

Orders had been received on the evening of the 
4th for the company to take possession of Caguas, a 
town 32 miles north of Guayama on the road to San 
Juan. The order stated that this was to be done on 
the 5th, and it was this fact that prompted the early 
start and which is evidence of the truth of the state-- 
ment made in the iii'ct paragrajdi of this account. 
The order had been issued several days before, but 
owing to the condition of tlic wires, the message hai 
not been delivered. 

The company was busy until tlie hour mentioncij 
in getting things in readiness for the march. It was 
raining hard all night and as wet as they could have 
been had they fallen into the river, the men started 
on the thirty-two mile march with as much enthusi- 
asm as that with which they had left their native town 
six months before. The march was not only a long 
one, but it was attended wdth considerable danger, for, 
as has been said of the road across the mountain 
to Cayey, a false step in the darkness meant at least a 
serious accident. The rain continued until daylight, 
but the men stniggled men-ily along, up the steep 
mountain road and down on the other side until 
Cayey was reached. Remarkably good time had 
been made and fearing that a rest would interfere 
with the march, to say nothing of the failure to comply 
with the order to take possession of Caguas on the 
5th, Captain French decided to push on and rest at 
the end of the jom-ney. The speed was kept up and 
shortly after 10 o'clock on the night of the 5th Com- 
pany L was in the city they were to occupy, having 



274 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

covered the distance of 32 miles of rough, road in 
twenty hours. But the company had thus obeyed 
orders to the letter and every member was happy 
even if he was nearly tired out. 

Caguas had been quite a military center for the 
Spaniards and there was plenty of barracks room 
\^'ith ample facilities for cooking. As little work as 
possible was done that night, but the next morning 
the American flag was raised over the city and Cap- 
tain French assumed general control. The company 
remained here until after the regiment proper had ar- 
rived, when, on the 10th, it was relieved and sent on 
to Carolina, a town near the northern coast. 

The district of which Carolina was the capital 
embraced the towns of Rio Grande, Cannovinos and 
Loiza. The American flag was raised at each of these 
places and the Spanish flags which had previously 
marked their allegiance, became the property of Com- 
pany L. This section of the island was one of the 
richest agricultural districts in Porto Rico, but at the 
time the company took charge of the district, a gen- 
eral feeling of unrest prevailed. Two hundred and 
fifty workmen at the Buena Vista plantation were on 
a strike and agitators were attempting to induce the 
employes of the other plantations to follow the ex- 
ample of the Buena Vista workmen. The strikers 
at several times had become very violent in their 
<lemonstrations and attempts had been made to burn 
the buildings. Two days after the arrival of the 
company, however, these men were induced to return 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 275 

to work and in another two days quiet was restored 
at the other plantations. 

There was other trouble to occupy the minds of 
the company, a feeling of bitterness having been de- 
veloped against the Catholic priests of the district. 
No particular reason was assigned for this, the trouble 
being apparently a desire upon the part of the natives 
to do all they could to harass the Spanish citizens, 
and they expected the American soldiers to aid them 
in this. On the evening of the 13th a mob collected 
at Carolina and an attack on the priest was made 
there. The prompt action of the provost guard pre- 
vented any injury to the object of their wrath and 
they were also prevented from following out their 
plan to bum the cathedral. The crowd was dispersed 
without serious trouble and quiet was restored for the 
time being. 

At a later hour of the same evening, a man 
fired a shot at Captain French. The shot was fired 
through a hedge and the captain was stnick on the 
hand and forehead with the burnt powder from the 
explosion. Fortunately the ball missed its mark, and 
aside from the bums Captain French escaped unin- 
jured. The would-be assassin made good his escape 
and in spite of a determined effort to locate him, no 
clue was discovered to lead to his detection and arrest. 
He was thought to have been the hireling of a dis- 
appointed candidate for the office of ma^'^or of 
Carolina. 

There was no further trouble in the district, the 
natives havin<T been given to underetand that the sol- 



276 TEE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 

diers were there for a purpose and that that piupoee 
■was not to aid in any lawlessness, even though it 
were an attempt to disturb Spanish citizens. 

The health of the company remained very good 
while at Carolina and the other stations, and the boys 
thoroughlv enjoyed their duty there. The company 
remained in the district until Friday, October 28th, 
when a company of the Forty-seventh jSTew York re- 
lieved them. They immediately went to San Juan, 
where they rejoined the regiment and sailed for home 
on the following day. 

DEnJGHTFUL TRIP OF COMPANY K. 

When the regiment left Cayey on the morning 
of October 8th, Companies F and K were left behind. 
K Company had been assigned to Aibonito and cer- 
tainly that command received the "best end" in this 
detachment, for it was assigned to the most pictur- 
esque and beautiful part of the island. The story 
of the service at Aibonito and surrounding country 
is told by Corporal Patrick, a member of the company 
at that time, but now a promising attorney of Dela- 
ware, as follows: 

"On the morning of October 8th we started from 
Cayey toward the east, while the other companies kept 
on north toward Caguas. The boys were still stiff 
and sore from their little constitutional from 
Guayama on the night of October 6th, but they had 
heard wonderful stories of the cool and healthy 
situation of Aibonito. It was even hinted that eggs 
could be bought there for three centavos a piece, and 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 277 

milk for six centavos per quart, but the man who 
started this rumor was popularly supposed to be 
juggling with the tnith, although he protested vali- 
antly that *he had got it straight from a Wisconsin 
man who had been there.' All these things helped 
to cheer up the bovs and as we swung out of town on 
that beautiful morning all previous cares and hard- 
ships were forgotten in the enjoyment of the present. 

"The first three or four miles were level, and the 
time was passed with songs and stories. Then we 
struck the hills and settled down to hard work. Our 
first halt was made where a little stream tumbles 
down the side of the hill, and into the brick gutter, 
which ran along this magnificent military road. 

"From this point there was considerable strag- 
gling, as the men would give up to weariness or yield 
to the seductive charms of a chicken, or the prospect 
of a few eggs or a hat full of oranges. 

"We soon began to realize the beauty of the 
country as we looked down into the valleys beneath 
with their herds of cattle and ponies, and the green 
bills in the distance covered with tropical vegetation. 
There was nothing rough or harsh in the scenery ; all 
was peaceful and quiet in its Arcadian simplicity. 

"For miles one could see over the tops of hills 
and in the hazy distance could catch a faint glimpse 
of the Atlantic ocean. Some devout native had 
planted on the opposite hillside some sort of domestic 
plant in the form of a huge cross. 

"From here it was but a short distance to the top 
of the ridge, and from there the road was compara- 



278 TEE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

tively level. Here we saw many fine specimens of 
ferns and of coffee and banana trees. At last the 
head of the column reached the outskirts of the town, 
where they halted and waited for the stragglers, each 
new arrival being greeted wdth howls, jeers and all 
kinds of chaff reflecting on his walking abilities. 

'The barracks at Aibonito was a long stone 
building, built on a slight elevation north of the 
the town and on the military road. It was designed 
to accommodate a full battalion. Just west of it 
was the hospital, also of stone, and a model of its 
kind. The first night was spent in getting acquainted 
with the Third "Wisconsin boys stationed there, whom 
we were to relieve. They were a jolly lot, recruited 
from Madison and the surrounding towns. They did 
their best to entertain us with various little social 
games, and they succeeded splendidly, as several of 
the boys have reason to remember. 

"The fii-st duty to perform was the raising of the 
flag. The two companies marched down to the plaza 
the next morning, and lined up in front of the jail. 
The buglers played 'to the colors,' the companies pre- 
sented arms and the flag did not go up. It started 
gracefully enough, but the ring at the top of the flag 
pole pulled out, and the flag fell to the ground. 
This frightened the natives, who were enthusiastic 
over the flag raising, and thought dire punishment 
would be meted out to them for this hitch in the cere- 
monies. The alcalde, who weighed 250 pounds, im- 
mediately started to climb the flag pole, and was 
only prevented from swinging out from the balcony 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 279 

bj two other natives hanging onto his legs. In the 
meantime one little bare-footed fellow had skipped 
out on the roof of the jail, but about all he seemed 
to do was swing his arms and yell. A half dozen 
others reverently gathered up the flag and it was 
finally tied to the flag pole at half-mast. In the 
meantime the buglers had sounded 'to the colors' 
until they were black in the face, and the men stood 
at present arms in the boiling sun until the muzzles 
of their pieces wobbled in an alarming manner. But 
this ended the ceremony. The officers went to a ban- 
quet given by the alcalde and other solid citizens of 
the town, and the men went back to quarters in 
charge of the first sergeants. 

''Life at Aibonito was one of unalloyed bliss as 
compared with our previous experiences on the island. 
The town was beautifully situated high up in the 
hills, and the climate was delightful. Our only duty 
was guard every four or five days, the rest of the time 
was spent in Avandering over the hills, hunting out the 
Spanish fortifications and looking for relics of the 
Ooamo skirmish. Just south of the town was the 
famous Aibonito pass, where the Spanish had made 
preparations for a desperate stand, which would un- 
doubtedly have been successful against any force that 
could have been brought up in front, for their ar- 
tillery commanded the road for miles down the 
mountain. 

"A few days after our arrival a detail consisting 
of Lieutenant O. O. Koeppel, Sergeant H. A. Costler, 
Corj^oral O. W. Patrick and Privates S. W. Brown- 



280 THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 

ing, 0. H. Brunn, H. M. Butt, C. L. Jonee, M. C. 
Mahanay, Robert Reed, W. R. Rider and Edward 
Rodenfels, were detached and ordered to Barros, a 
town still liiglier up in the mountains and off the 
military road. We left Aibonito accompanied by a 
wagon in which was stored our provisions and most of 
our equipment. With this outfit we were ordered 
to go over a trail which we afterward discovered 
could hardly be followed by a mountain pony. 
When we found the trail it was plainly impossible to 
take our wagon over it. A native storekeeper went 
60 far as to say that the trail was impassable on foot, 
owing to recent rains. To add to our troubles it 
began to rain, nor was it a gentle spring shower, but 
a genuine tropical down-pour. A council of war was 
held in the little store and it was decided that we 
must have ponies and burros with which to transport 
our baggage. Accordingly we started out in the 
rain to find them. The party became split up and 
came trailing in several hours later with a total of 
three little shaggy ponies, hired, begged and stolen, 
-with which to convey 1000 pounds of baggage. 

"A plantation owner just across the road from 
the store had placed at our disposal a large coffee 
house then empty. This was a large, airy building, 
with a hard dirt floor swept scrupulously clean. 
Here we bivouacked for the night. Each man put on 
dry clothing and the hardships of the day were soon 
forgotten in the enjoyment of a hearty meal prepared 
at the plantation kitchen and washed down with 
.•several bottles of rare old wine. The air was de- 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 281 

lightfully cool and refreshing from the recent rain, 
and many a jolly song was sung and stoiy told, till 
the last candle flickered and went out, leaving us sur- 
rounded by the gloom of the great building. 

"The next morning we started on mules and 
ponies to Barronchitis. We had gone scarcely two 
miles when we came to a mountain stream which 
swallowed up the trail completely, and a little native 
boy showed us that all that was necessary to ford it 
was to ride up the bed of the stream about half a 
mile. Here the trail was discovered. A few miles 
further on we were royally entertained at a way-side 
plantation by a lady and her two daughters. We 
were furnished, without the asking, with a cup of 
delicious coffee and several kinds of tropical fruits. 
We were the first Americans they had ever seen. 

"The trail at best was bad, but was rendered 
doubly so by reeent rains, which rendered the red 
clay slippery and dangerous even for the sure-footed 
mountain ponies. At one time we would be looking 
down from a dizzy height at a narrow ribbon of 
water in the valley below, then would come an al- 
most perpendicular jdunge down the mountain, over 
slippery rocks and more slippery mud, but we soon 
learned to put implicit confidence in our ponies, and 
it was never once betrayed. Their sure-footedness 
and sagacity was simply marvelous. At the bottom 
of the mountain there would be a rocky mountain 
stream swollen to twice its normal volume by the 
recent rains. Beyond the trail would perhaps lead 
through a half mile of boggy valley, then up the side 



282 THE FOURTH 0. V. J. 

of the next moimtain. This method of travel, to 
one accustomed to no more exciting mode of locomo- 
tion than a trolly or perhaps a cable car, was a novelty 
to say the least. But the hardships were easily for- 
gotten in admiration of the beautiful scenery which 
was almost constantly spread out before us in all its 
luxuriance of tropical coloring. The trip would 
have been a feast to the eye of an artist, and even 
to tired soldiers it was ample compensation for pre- 
vious toils and hardships. 

''At Barronchitis we were lodged with an ex- 
Spanish soldier, who helped us pass the evening by 
relating his experiences in the Spanish army. He 
also introduced to us the principal of the village 
school, who tried his best to prove to us, from a map 
which he had, that Spain was a larger country than 
the United States. Spain was made on a large scale 
and the United States on a small one, so Spain ap- 
peared to be the larger, therefore Spain was the 
larger. 'Quod erat demonstrandum.' We were 
ready bright and early the next morning to continue 
the journey, all having been provided with ponies or 
burros by the obliging alcalde. Nothing startling oc- 
curred on the trip to Barros, where we arrived in the 
evening and were given an enthusiastic welcome by 
the men of the Third Wisconsin, whom we were to 
relieve. 

"We found Barros to be a pretty little place, 
nestling in a valley and surrounded on all sides by 
mountains. A clear, cool stream flowed almost 
through the to^vn, affording excellent facilities for an 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 288 

early morning bath. Our short stay here was our 
best experience on the island. The inhabitants, from 
the alcalde down, did their best to entertain the 
Americans, and many were the warm friendships 
formed in that short stay, and I fear the eyes of sev- 
eral fair 'senoritas' were dim when we marched away. 
We had special reason to remember Don Pedro 
Arroyo and his charming wife, at whose house we 
spent many a pleasant evening. 

"Truly our lot was cast in pleasant places, but 
it was decreed that it should be but for a short time. 
One day, after we had been there about one week, 
a detachment of the First Kentucky Mounted In- 
fantry rode into town to relieve us. The Kentuck- 
ians were whole-souled fellows from Louisville, and 
we spent several very enjoyable days with them. 

"We left Barros by way of the Coamo trail, 
which, if anvthing, is worse than the other, but the 
day was fine, our ponies good and the scenery fully 
as fine as any we had seen. At one place we could 
see both the Carribean sea and the Atlantic ocean 
on the south and north, and on the east Aibonito fully 
twenty miles away. At another place, as we wound 
down the mountain the end man was fully one hun- 
dred feet above the lieutenant, who was in front, and 
almost perpendicularly below. 

"At Coamo our wagons awaited us and carried us 
to Aibonito, w^here we arrived late at night of the 
same day. At Aibonito the rumor was rife that we 
were going home, but it was several days before 
final orders arrived. We were ready when they did 



284 THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 

arrive and started almost immediately, with mixed 
feelings of joj and sorrow at leaving that beautiful 
town. We arrived at Cajey on our return trip, and 
marched through the town with the precision of 
dress parade, without a straggler. This w^as all the 
result of a little wholesome food. The march from 
Cayey to Caguas was made with equal facility. 
There we joined headquarters and were once more 
a part of the Fourth Ohio. 

"Company K lost six men by death while it was 
in the service of the United States. Read, Randolph 
and Vertner were buried at sea. Lawson's grave is 
at Fort McPherson, Ahem is buried in the national 
cemetery at Chattanooga and Ferris lies in the ceme- 
tery at Guayama, Porto Rico. We were only present 
at the burial of Ferris and Vertner, but the image 
of each one of the six is engraven deep in the heart 
of every member of Company K, and years hence, 
as we gather around our social camp fires, their simple 
virtues and acts of comradeship will be sweet mem- 
ories." 

COMPANY F AT CAYEY. 

The service of F Company at Cayey was at- 
tended with considerable interest on the part of both 
the citizens of the town and of the members of the 
company. The stay at this station was from October 
7th, when the company relieved a detachment of the 
Third Wisconsin and raised the American flag aa 
described in another chapter. There were included 
in the district of Cayey the towns of Barranquitaa 
and Ceidras. 



TEE FOURTH 0. V. I. 28^ 

On October 8th, 1898, Sergeant K. E. Hull and 
nine men went over the mountain to Ceidras, the 
road being so bad and the rivers so swollen by rain, 
that while the town was only four miles distant 
from Cayey, they had to go twelve miles and ride 
native ponies, having a guide to show them the way. 
While in Ceidras Sergeant Hull found the city ad- 
ministration in a very bad way, and acting under 
instructions elected a new city council of twelve men, 
two new judges and a vice mayor, and readjusted the 
revenues so that they would be more properly dis- 
tributed. Formerly they were being devoted en- 
tirely to the salaries of those in power. This detach.- 
ment remained at Ceidras until October 19th, when 
a detachment of the First Kentucky, mounted, re- 
lieved them, and they returned to Cayey. 

On October 9th Lieutenant Harry Grraham and 
ten men were sent to occupy Barranquitas. They 
also had to resort to pack ponies, as the roads were 
impassable for wagons. Everything was quiet at 
this point. The detachment remained until October 
19th, Avhen they were relieved by the First Kentucky 
Mounted Infantry, commanded by Lieutenant Freid- 
enhimer. They then returned to Cayey. 

The mayor of Cayey and Captain Potter ex- 
changed visits and worked in unison, the mayor doing 
willingly everything that was required. The town 
itself was prosperous enough, being the center of the 
best tobacco district on the island, but the main plaza,, 
streets and jail were in bad shape. 



286 THE FOURTH O. V. I. 

Captain Potter told the mayor that this must 
.all be changed at once, and before the company left 
everything was in good condition. 

On October 18th Captain Lindsay and his com- 
pany (F, First Kentucky Infantry), relieved the de- 
tachment. 

One event which for a time cast a glocm over 
what would otherwise have been a most delightful 
tour of duty, was the attempt upon the life of Second 
Lieutenant I^athan A. McCoy. While the assail- 
ants failed of their evident purpose of killing the 
lieutenant, they succeeded in inflicting several pain- 
ful wounds and in creating far more excitement than 
they had anticipated. The story of this affair as 
related by Captain Potter is as follows: 

"On October 23, at 9 p. m.. Lieutenant IsT. A. 
McCoy, who was acting as post quartermaster and 
commissary, was returning from the bakery, where 
he had been arranging for fresh bread for the follow- 
ing day. He stopped to look in a store on the comer 
of the main plaza, when three men quietly stopped 
behind him. One suddenly struck him a hard blow 
on the head with a heavy club. As the lieutenant 
fell, another struck him on the shoulder and arm. 
He fell, half dazed, to the ground. It happened that 
two of the company were in the store, and ran to hia 
assistance as he fell. The men who assaulted him at 
once made good their escape. 

"Lieutenant McCoy was brought to the barracks, 
covered with blood, but Steward Ritter at once at- 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 287 

tended his injuries and in a few moments he told us 
all he knew about the assault. 

"I took twenty-four men, put twelve under Cor- 
poral Lindsay and took twelve myself, and started 
for the town. We arrested every suspicious looking 
|)erson we saw and by 4 a. m., by the aid of an in- 
terpreter, had secured one of the men who committed 
the assault. Early the next morning we arrested the 
other two and placed them all in jail. For the next 
two days there was considerable excitement in the 
town and we had to double the guards and have a 
heavy guard at the jail, but the excitement subsided 
when they saw that we meant business, and we had no 
further trouble of any kind. 

''We had just secui*ed evidence enough to con- 
vict the suspected parties when we were ordered 
away, so the men were sent to Guayama and turned 
over to the provost guard there for trial. I preferred 
charges of assault with intent to kill, but have never 
heard how the trial came out. 

''It was intimated to Lieutenant McCoy and 
myself that the men were liired by Spanish sympa- 
thizers to kill any American officer whom they could 
find alone or unprotected." 

On October 27th final orders were received to 
turn over the town and all the military stores at 
that place belonging to the government, and the 
detached squad and battalion having returned to 
Cayey, the company proceeded to Caguas to join what 
was left of the regiment. Caguas was reached about 
•dark on the afternoon of the same day, and the next 



288 TEE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

morning the company started to Rio Piedras, cover- 
ing the distance in good time, but in one of the hard- 
est rains that were experienced in the island. 

COMPANY B DETACHED. 

Company B was composed of the kind of men 
who insisted on doing a part of any work in sight. 
It was one of the first companies ordered to the firing 
line before Giiayama on August 5 and the first com- 
pany to be ordered to provost dutj'. It was B Com- 
pany that defended the captured town from the north- 
east to hold the bridge across Guayama creek, a short 
distance out the military road from Guayama. 

Although the company was not detached in the 
strict sense of the word at Guayama, its tour of pro- 
vost duty was performed under the immediate super- 
vision of General Haines and Captain White. Their 
next detachment was an execution of an order to raise 
the American flag over the town of Gurabo, about 
six miles from Caguas. This was a hard march, 
over a difificult mountain road, mud to wade, hills to 
climb and streams to cross, but the trip was a suc- 
cessful one and the Spanish emblem which once 
marked the allegiance of the towm was brought back 
to Columbus by Captain White. 

The American flag was hoisted above Gurabo 
October 13, and on October 15, at 7:40 a. m., the 
company started for Rio Piedras to take charge of the 
town. The headquarters of the United States forces 
in Porto Rico had been here and Captain White had 
the distinguished experience of relieving a major 




flag: raising at curabo. 



THE FOURTH O. T. I. 289 

gcnaral when General Brooke turned over the town. 

Rio Piedras, considering its size, was the wealth- 
iest town in the island. It was six miles from the 
capital, with which it was connected by the military 
road and by the Eio Piedras and San Juan railway. 
Many wealthy people resided there and there were 
several beautiful residences, the finest of which, per- 
haps, was the governor general's palace. There were 
several comfortable cafes where ices and beverages 
were served and where beef steak or potatoes were 
prepared without either the use of olive oil or garlic. 

The town was eminently Spanish in all its sym- 
pathies and practically imder Spanish control, nearly 
all the municipal officials having received their ap- 
pointments in return for favors shown the Castilian 
crown or its supporters. These were promptly re- 
moved and the vacancies filled with the better class 
of Portoriquenos, much to the satisfaction of the 
islanders. 

The boys of Company B and the natives of Rio 
Piedras were at all times on very good terms, and 
there was no occasion during the stay of the com- 
pany for a clash between soldiers and citizens. 

The company remained there until the regiment 
had been ordered to the United States and a company 
of the Forty-seventh 'New York had taken charge of 
the town. Instead of boarding the train ~:ith the 
first provisional battalion for San Juan, the company 
marched over the military road and reported for re- 
assignment next day. This made B company the 
only one which really marched across the island, from 
tl) (V.ribcrm soa to the Atlantic ocean. 



990 THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



HOME AGAIN. 

•Orders to Leave — Preparatiou — Arrival of Forty-seveuth 
New York— U. S. S. S. Chester at Arroyo— At Saa 
Juan — Leaving the Island— Advantages and Disad- 
vantages of the Chester — The Honaeward Voyage — 
Death of Private Vertner — Arrival at New York — 
Jersey City — Received by the President — To Colum- 
bus — Reception — Furlough — Assembly — Accident at 
Auditorium — Muster Out — Concluding Remarks. 

While the boys at their respective stations were 
watching and waiting for orders to go home, Colonel 
Coit, at Caguas, received official information that his 
regiment would be relieved by the Forty-seventh New 
York. He was instructed as to the turning over of 
government property and other details were given in 
such an exacting manner that the boys of the regi- 
ment were satisfied that the time for them to return 
to their homes was not far distant. Their hopes were 
confirmed when one fine morning in the latter part 
of October the U. S. S. S. Chester appeared in the har- 
bor at Arroyo with the gTeater part of the Forty- 
seventh l^ew York on board. 

The news spread as rapidly as telegraph and 
horses could spread it, and long befcTe noon every 
man in the regiment knew that his stay in Porto Rico 
would be short from that time on. Everybody was 
happy accordingly. In fact the joy of the members 
. of the regiment knew no bounds. Everything was 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 291 

from that day a hasty preparation and the regiment 
was ready as to packing up and bidding good-by to 
the natives long before the Chester was ready to leave 
Arroyo. It was announced that the boat which had 
transported the iSTew York regiment to the island 
would also be used to take the Fourth Ohio home. 

A and E companies boarded the vessel as soon as 
everything was in readiness, but they found the ship 
to be in a horrible condition with dirt and filth. 
This condition of affairs was at once reported to 
Colonel Coit, who at once objected to the use of the 
ship for the transportation of the regiment on the 
long voyage to the states. His objection did no 
further use except to secure the promise that the ship 
would be thoroughly cleansed before starting for 
New York, the place designated for landing. The 
ship was thoroughly cleaned, but the work was per- 
formed by details from the companies of the Fourth 
Ohio. 

As soon as the companies at Guayama were re- 
lieved by the ISTew Yorkers the Ohio boys boarded the 
vessel and she steamed on down the coast to Hamacoa, 
where D Company was relieved and taken on. Then 
M Company was picked up at Isabel Segunda and the 
Chester proceeded to Fajardo, where I Company was 
relieved and taken on board, after which the Chester 
continued the trip around the island to San Juan, 
where she arrived on October 2Yth. 

In the meantime F Company at Cayey, K at 
Aibonito and the detachment of H Company at 
Aguas Bpenos had assembled at Caguas and 



292 THE FOURTH 0. T. I. 

joined by B Oompany at Rio Piedras, had reached 
San Jiian on the evening of October 28th. These 
companies, except B, had been temporarily relieved 
by the First Kentucky. L Company at Carolina had 
gone to San Juan also and the regiment was again 
intact. The night at San Juan was spent in an old 
shed just outside the city, but no regular camp was 
established and the men were permitted to spend the 
night where and how they pleased. There were 
numerous restaurants in the city, and as the men still 
had a supply of cash, there was no suffering on ac- 
count of lack of provisions. 

The crew of the Chester completed the renova- 
tion of the ship during the night and the next morn- 
ing, when the loading of baggage was begun. San 
Juan was interesting to the boys, especially the de- 
fenses of the city and the effect of the bombardment 
by the American fleet in July. All the places of 
interest were visited, so that at first the quartermast- 
er's department could not get men to load the bag^ 
gage. Captain Vincent and Captain Potter came to 
the rescue, however, and details were soon secured 
and the horses and baggage were loaded in quick 
time. The regiment itself did not board the vessel 
until about 4 p. m., although the Chester had been 
under orders to sail at noon. 

It was nearly dark when the Chester weighed 
anchor and steamed out of the harbor. The TJ. S. 
S. S. !N"ewark, one of the strongest vessels in the navy, 
was stationed in the harbor, and when the CHiester 
began to move toward the bay, the band oa the 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 293 

Newark played "Home Sweet Home." This compli- 
ment was answered by a cheer from the men and a 
selection from the Fourth Ohio band, when the 
Newark played another tune, answered by "Yankee 
Doodle" by the Ohio band. Cheer after cheer 
was exchanged by the representatives of the army and 
navy, and with the firing of salutes, the tooting of 
whistles and the ringing of bells, the Chester steamed 
slowly out the harbor to the bay and turned her 
course toward New York. 

It was quite dark when the Oliester reached the 
open sea and the dim lights from the city gave the 
general view of the island where the boys had seen 
80 much hard service, a sort of spectral appearance, 
exactly in keeping with the final impression of Porto 
Rico and Porto Ricans in the minds of most of tb® 
men. 

The voyage to New York was less comfortable 
in some respects and more comfortable in others than 
the voyage on the St. Paul had been. There waa 
less room on the Chester and quarters were not so 
comfortable, but better provision had been made for 
rations and cooking, and the men were supplied with 
warm meals. The weather was fine during the 
greater part of the voyage, but a storm came up 
during the third night out and those members of the 
band and non-commissioned staff and some of the 
members of the companies who had slept on th« 
decks were compelled to seek shelter inside. All the 
available room had already been taken up, but the 
men who had not been assigned to any particular 



294 THE FOURTH 0. T. I. 

part of the ship, appropriated the halls and compan- 
ion ways for their quarters. This was objected to by 
the quartermaster of the A^essel, but Colonel Coit in- 
sisted that those men would remain there and they 
did. Some slept in the dining room, and others 
in the halls and passage ways, wherever they could 
find space enough to lie down. The officers were 
crowded into small state rooms and they were not 
much more comfortably situated than the men. 

The only occurrence to mar the pleasure of the 
voyage from San Juan was the sudden death of Al- 
bert L. Vertner of K Company. The young man 
had not been feeling well, and the hospital force had 
prescribed what seemed to be the proper treatment, 
but their efforts were in vain and the young man died 
almost in sight of his native land. 

The remains were buried at sea and the occasion 
was given all the honor that could be bestowed under 
the circumstances. Vertner was a popular member 
of the company and the death was a shock to all its 
officers and men. 

The first time land was sighted after the Chester 
had left San Juan was on the afternoon of jSTovember 
2nd, when the hills and steeples of the United States 
again came into view. There was very little to see 
and nothing to make out, but when the boys realized 
that they were once more in sight of their native laud 
they nearly went wild with glee. 

The band played "America," "Hail Columbia" 
and other national airs, and the regiment answered 
with cheers. Everybody on the vessel strained 



TEE FOURTH 0. V. I. 295 

€very nerve to get a glimpse of the laud they loved 
so well and all was excitement on board the Chester 
for the remainder of the day. 

Passing Sandy Hook, the Chester steamed on up 
the harbor until dark, when she cast anchor until a 
pilot boarded her, to direct the way to the quarantine 
station. The boys were a little disappointed at hav- 
ing to remain on the ship another night, but the as- 
surance that it was the last one quieted their unrest. 
An effort was made to secure pel-mission for some of 
the officers to go ashore before morning, but this 
could not be done on account of the rules of the 
c^uarantine. 

^Yhen the boys woke up on the morning of the 
3rd they could not see from one side of the vessel to 
the other. A dense fog had collected in the harbor 
and fears began to be entertained that another day 
would have to be spent on the ship, and the dissatis- 
faction that was created by this idea can easily be 
imagined. Finally, about 8 o'clock, a quarantine 
officer boarded the Chester and made a thorough in- 
spection of the ship. He found the vessel in an 
elegant condition considering the large number of 
passengers, horses and baggage she contained, so per- 
mission was quickly granted to land. The fog pre- 
vented a landing, however, and all that could be 
done was for the Cbester to proceed further up the 
harbor, where she waited near the base of the Statue 
of Liberty for the fog to disappear. Captain Dona- 
vin and several other members of the regiment went 
ashore with the quarantine ofiicer, loaded down with 



296 THE FOURTH 0. V. I, 

messages from the soldiei*s to their families and 
friends at home, announcing the arrival of the regi- 
ment in New York. 

The fog did not disappear until afternoon and 
the work of unloading was not completed until al- 
most evening. It was almost night when the 
regiment touched land at Jersey City, all the baggage 
and all the men having been taken off the Chester by 
a large ferry boat. A train of three sections was in 
waiting at the depot at Jersey City, but the train 
did not leave there until about midnight the night of 
October 3rd. During the wait in Jersey City the 
boys were given the liberty of the town, and nearly 
all of them made a visit across the river to New York, 
where they did just what would be expected- — bought 
the largest meal they could find. Beef steak, oysters, 
butter, fresh bread that was made to be eaten, pie, 
red apples and the thousand and one things that had 
been wanted, but which could not be obtained in 
Porto Rico, were gathered together in baskets, bags 
and stomachs in quantities that under ordinary cii^ 
cumstances would have fed an entire army for a 
week. A committee of Columbus gentlemen, repre- 
senting the citizens of central Ohio, had come to 
New York to meet the regiment at the moment it 
reached American soil and to extend to them a hearty 
welcome. This compliment was more than the of- 
ficers or men had anticipated, and it was accordingly 
appreciated. Lieutenant Colonel Adams, who had 
left the island from Guayama on leave of absence, 
came to New York from his home in Delaware to 



THH FOURTH 0. V. I. 297 

greet his comrades and to again share with them the 
joys or sorrows of the few remaining days of absence 
from home. The gentlemen who had met the regi- 
ment as a committee of greeting were Messrs. Buck- 
master, Miller, Donavin, Helwagen, Thrall and 
Huling. Mr. Buckmaster was a railroad man, and 
being one of the warmest friends of the regiment in 
Ohio, he did all in his power to assure the safety and 
comfort of the men on the homeward trip. Captain 
Thrall had a special interest in the regiment, having 
come to greet his son, who acted in the capacity of 
regimental clerk until the regiment was mustered 
out of the service. The other gentlemen had been 
active also in securing orders for the return of the 
regiment to the United States, and they naturally 
felt an interest in seeing that the boys had a good 
time after they were once in the limits of the United 
States. 

This was but the beginning of the hearty recog- 
nition of the service performed by the regiment. At 
every station on the way from New York to Colum- 
bus crowds gathered at the railway stations to extend 
greetings. 

The stay at Jersey City, although but eight 
hours, made many more friends for the Fourth Ohio. 
Several other regiments had landed at that place after 
foreign service and the first thing they had done 
when they reached the place was to indulge in all the 
intoxicants the place afforded. They were noisy and 
ungentlemanly and their action in the city and in 
the vicinity was anything but becoming the conduct 



298 TEE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 

of an American soldiejr. In marked contrast to thir 
conduct the members of the Ohio regiment con- 
ducted themselves after the fashion of the gentlemen 
they were, and this conduct at once earned the ad- 
miration of the officers and citizens of the entire city. 
The contrast was the subject of favorable comment 
in the I^ew York papers the following day. 

Leaving Jersey City about midnight, the regi- 
ment went over the Baltimore and Ohio railway to 
Washington, where they arrived shortly after day- 
light, and where the command was accorded an honor 
which had not been extended to any other regiment 
in the service. As soon as breakfast had been 
served, the regiment was formed and following an 
escort of mounted policemen, marched to the White 
House, where it passed in review before President 
McKinley and a number of other prominent gov- 
ernment officials. After passing the reviewing 
stand, the veranda at the White House, the regiment 
marched to the street, where aims were stacked and 
left under guard while the res^iment returned to the 
executive mansion to be received by the president. 
Here the head of the American government paid a 
high tribute to the service of the regiment, and feeling 
thus greatly honored, the boys returned to the rail- 
way station to resume the journey home. 

Leaving Washington about 5 o'clock, the trains 
bearing the regiment passed through the District of 
Columbia and Maryland, and bounding across the 
Allegheny mountains, reached the Ohio line about 
daylight. When the boys found themselves on 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 299^ 

Buckeye soil once more they hardly knew how to act. 
Some cheered, some sang songs and some wept for 
joy. "I knew the moment we crossed the river," 
said one fellow, "by the air I was breathing." It 
was indeed a proud moment for every member of the 
command, but nothing as compared to the arrival in 
Columbus. The w^eather was chilly, and having just 
come from a land where frost is unknown, and being 
dressed accordingly, the cold had a rather bad effect 
on the health of the men, but in marked contrast to 
the position of the mercury, the reception extended 
to the regiment by the people of Columbus was cer- 
tainly "warm." Great crowds of people had come 
to the railroad to get glimpses of their friends or rela- 
tives as soon as they set foot in the capital of their 
native state. 

The train from Kew York had been run in three 
sections and as soon as the entire train had reached 
Columbus the regiment was formed and with an 
escort of all the civic and military organizations of 
Columbus, made a tour of the city, passing in review 
before Governor Bushnell. A more extensive 
demonstration was never seen in the capital city than 
that in honor of the return of the Tourth Ohio. The 
parade was dismissed at the Columbus Auditorium 
and the regiment was then marched inside, where 
there was in waiting for them a grand feast, prepared 
by the citizens of Columbus. After enjoying lunch 
the entire command was dismissed, the members of 
the Columbus battalion going immediately to their 
homes and the companies of the other b. ttalions tak- 



300 THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 

ing first trains out of the city for their respective 
home towns. At Washington Court House, Marion, 
Portsmouth, Lancaster, Delaware, Mt. Vernon and 
Circleville, demonstrations similar to those at Co- 
lumbus, but on smaller scales, were made, and every 
man in the regiment was given a most sincere wel- 
come. A furlough of sixty days was granted to aU 
the members of the regiment except the surgeons, 
adjutant, quartermr ,ter, commissary and ordnance 
officers, who were on duty at the Auditorium in Co- 
lumbus during the entire time of the furlough. 

On January 5 th, after the regiment had reached 
home on JSTovember 6th, the command was again asr 
sembled and remained at the capital until the 19th 
of January, when the final payment and muster out 
was made. During their stay in Columbus the men 
were comfortably quartered at the Columbus Audit- 
orium. Rows of bunks were constructed for sleep- 
ing apartments, but the men were permitted to go 
elsewhere if they chose. On the first night of the 
stay in Columbus three tiers of bunks occupied by 
H, M and E Companies collapsed anJ twenty men 
were caught in the falling timbers. E^o lives were 
lost and no permanent injury was sustained, but the 
accident was of such a nature that it was regarded 
almost a miracle that none were killed. While in 
Columbus the men were fed at restaurants and each 
man received three hot meals each day, an experi- 
ence thy had not known during all the time they 
were in the service. 



THE FOURTH 0. T. I. 301 

While the accounts were being made up between 
the accountable officers and the government and be- 
tween the officers anrl men, an order was received 
from Washington direc^ ing that the sum received by 
each enlisted man as pay frnm the State of Ohio for 
the service f:om April 25th to May 9th be deducted 
from the i ay due him at the time of final settlement 
with the government. This pay had been received 
while the regiment was at Chickamauga park and 
the state had filed an account with the government 
authorities, asking that the state treasury be reim- 
bursed for the money expended in preparing for the 
war. The claim would have been allowed, but the 
government would have reimbursed itself from the 
men themselves, thus denying them the sum allowed 
by the state for active service. This was objected to 
very vehemently on the part of the members of the 
regiment and their friends, and the matter was only 
settled by the withdrawal of the claim by the state 
authorities, thus securing for the men all the pay 
due them. 

As soon as the men received their pay from the 
two government paymasters at the State House, they 
were handed their discharges and dismissed. Some 
of the officers who, having lost some triplicate re- 
ceipt or some insignificant account or technical docu- 
ment did not receive any pay at the time the men 
were paid, but they were discharged from the service. 
As soon as they were relieved from their accounta- 
bility to the government, however, the money due 
them was promptly paid. 



302 THE FOURTH 0. 7. I. 

With honorable discharges from an honorable 
sei-idce in their hands, the men were free to go where 
and when they chose. Some of them remained in 
Columbus several days, but all soon returned to their 
respective homes to resume the citizenship which they 
had temporarily abandoned. These men had shown 
by the manner in which they had performed every 
exacting duty, that they were made of the stuff which 
makes good citizens and that they were of the class 
of men who help dignify the laws of the country 
which they had defended. 

The men returned to the farm, to the office 
^nd to the factory, there to follow the puiv 
riuits which they had chosen in the earlier part of 
their careers. Many were at once tendered the posi- 
tions which they had occupied before they had left 
for the front, and most of the remainder soon obtained 
profitable employment, but unfortunately a few were 
compelled to seek many weeks before they could 
secure means to support themselves and their families. 

In the transformation from soldier to citizen the 
Columbus Board of Trade was a valuable aid. Its 
secretary, Mr. J. Y. Bassell, had experienced the 
trials attending the closing of a mihtary career and 
he was able and willing to help the boys all he could., 
The Board of Trade had manifested a keen interest 
in the regiment while it was being prepared for service 
and after it had taken up its place in the field. By 
the energies of this organization, all the field officers 
of the regiment had been presented with horses, and 
while the regiment was in Camp Thomas, a beautiful 



THE FOURTH 0. T. I. 303 

Stand of colors was presented by the Board of Trade. 
This flag was carried all through the Porto Rico 
campaign and returned to Columbus, but not without 
the marks of battle. There are several bullet holes 
in the starry emblem which mutely tell how the 
,?ommand performed its duty, but there is not a stain 
on its silken folds which tell of a deed of which any 
man in the regiment or one of its friends need be 
ashamed. In return for this flag, the Spanish flag 
which had marked the allegiance of the city of 
Guayama was given to the Board of Trade, a present 
from the Fourth Ohio. There were other friends 
who watched the every movement of the regiment 
besides the Board of Trade, and the personal friends 
or families of the members of the regiment. Public 
spirited men, who regarded every man in the rank 
and file of the regiment as a son or brother, were 
ever watchful to supply every possible comfort which 
the government did not afford. Colonel James Kil- 
bourne, Colonel George D. Freeman, Colonel Knauss, 
the W. 0. T. U. and many other societies and private 
citizens, did all in their power to make the bovs in 
the field comfortable, their famihes at home happy 
and to look after the welfare of all when they re- 
turned to their homes. At Columbus the wives, 
sisters and mothers of the boys formed themselves 
into a society for the purpose of rendering all the aid 
they could, and many were the comforts that these 
good women were able to provide where homes would 
otherwise have remained cheerless. 



304 THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 

The Fourth Ohio, as it was known in the Span- 
ish-American war has ceased its existence except in 
the hearts of those who gave it and in the pages of 
history. Central Ohio was well represented in this 
effort and the brilliant record of the Fourth Ohio 
in the Civil war was as successfully emulated as the 
circumstances of the service permitted. A soldier's 
only duty is to obey orders and the Fourth Ohio has 
set an example in this which it will be well for suc- 
ceeding regiments to follow. The Fourteenth In- 
fantry is still a state organization, and if its future 
may be judged by the past, it will ever remain a 
monument to the valor of Ohio's citizen soldiery. 



TEE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 305 



ROSTER 

OF THB 

KOURTH O. V. I 



FIELD, STAFF AND NON-COMMISSIONED 
STAFF. 

Colonel Alonzo B. Coit 

Lieutenant-Colonel C. Barton Adams 

Major John C. Speaks 

Major John F. Sellers 

Major Charles V. Baker 

Surgeon |]dward M. Semeans 

Assistant Surgeon Thompson B. Wright 

Assistant Surgeon Henry M. Taylor 

Adjutant Mac Lee Wilson 

Chaplain James C. Shindel 

Quartermaster George B. Donavin 

Battalion Adjutant T. Perry Williams 

Battalion Adjutant Edward M. Fullington 

Battalion Adjutant Harry W. Krumm 

Regimental Sergeant Major Frank C. Radcliffe 

Q. M. Sergeant Charles L. Taylor 

Chief Musician Jesse Worthington 

Principal Musician Lewis F. Lytle 

Principal Musician Charles J. Rulo 

Principal Musician George F. McDonald 

Hospital Steward John W. Richards 

Hospital Steward Louis F. Ritter 

Hospital Steward F¥ank H. Burr 

Battalion Sergeant Major Charles W. Finley 

Battalion Sergeant Major Lewis F. Philo 

Battalion Sergeant Major Charles E. Creager 



306 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 



BAND. 
Harry A. Davis Acting Q. M. Sergeant 



Beitler, Claude M. 
Brooke, Philo R. 
Davie, J. B. 
Davies, David E. 
Davis, Shell P. 
Davis, Horace W. 
Dougherty, Jerome. 
Ebner, Jacob C. 
Feeney, Joseph L. 
Getz, Oscar D. 
Hane, Vv'illiam A. 



TRIV'ATES. 



Hosfield, Edwin J. 
Lilley, Frank P. 
McFarland, William R. 
McNaughten, Thomas R. 
McRae. William C. 
Meihlheim, Leo C. 
Rorick, Jonas M. 
Thomas, Harry H. 
Williard, Ezra H. 
Zeisler, Valentine. 



HOSPITAL CORPS. 

Edward Steve Darby Acting Steward 

Curry W. James Acting Steward 



Davis, V/illiam R. 
Dixon, Charles A. 
Getz, John F. 
Hance, William T. 
Judkins, William J. 
Kelley, John M. 
Moon, Oliver C. 



PRIVATES. 



Oglesby, Nicholas B. 
Powell, John W. 
Pringle, Leroy. 
Rawley, Paul J. 
Sherwood, Milton W. 
Stimmell, John S. 
Wright Ed. M. 



TEE FOURTH 0. V. I. 



307 



COMPANY A. 

Captain Joseph J. Walsh 

First Lieutenant Harry Graham 

First Lieutenant Clyde R. Modie 

Second Lieutenant Cyrus W. Grandstaff 

First Sergeant William C. McConnell 

Q. M. Sergeant L- B. Andrua 

Q. M. Sergeant G. B. Kilboume 

SERGEANTS. 

A. C. McGuire. Ed. Stalter. 

J. A. Auld. J. D. Acker. 

CORPORALS. 

F. H. Stevenson. Harry Syfert. 

O. H. Bonn. F. R. Thrall. 

C. K. McClelland. Emil Meyer. 

J. F. O'Shaughnessy. G. E. Walsh. 

Frank Graham. A. G. Smith. 

F. C. Lockhart. Jos. F. Tate. 

Musicians Preston Coit, T. R. Wirick 

Artificer M. P. GrandstafE 

Wagoner Ollie E. Brixner 

PRIVATES. 



Barnes, P. M. 
Barnes, F. B. 
Beecher, J. P. 
Bennett, F. U. 
Bergwitz, W. E. 
Bright, W. S. 
Brown, W. S. 
Buskirk, T. M. 



Leuze, C. M. 
McLaine, S. H. 
McClure, C. R. 
McMeekin, Joseph. 
Mihan, M. M. 
Musselman, Ferry. 
Marguardt, F. E. 
Noble, Otho. 



308 



THE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 



Carder, T. A. 
Carroll, Frank. 
Carson, S. K. 
Cavlnee, E. M. 
Chamberlain, B. W. 
Chatterton, T. H. 
Clawson, Burnes. 
Cockins, R. H. 
Cott, E. P. 
Cramer, H. H. 
Cunningham, E. T. 
Duffy, Thomas. 
Edgington, W. J. 
Evans, T. J. 
Ewing, J. H. 
Fleck, J. S. 
Fleck, H. N. 
Ford, C. L. 
French, S. N. 
Gorley, Clarence. 
Graham, J. A. 
Guitard, C. B. 
Hanway, A. L. 
Hughey, C. F. 
Hummell, C. E. 
Jeffrey, P. W. 
Johnson, E. J. 
Klotts, E. P. 
Knouff, 0. M. 
Lazenby, C. B. 
Olds, J., Jr. 



Fangle, D. C. 
Patterson, W. S. 
Pierce, C. O. 
Pirt, Joseph. 
Price, Frank C. 
Reichard, G. W. 
Riddle, Carlton. 
Riffee, C. W. 
Romanis, Edwin. 
Roy, C. F. 
Sackett, L. A. 
Schertle, D. B. 
Schuman, John. 
Scringer, A. L. 
Shearer, O. F. 
Sigrist, C. F. 
Simms, Irwin E. 
Smith, A. L. 
Strait, J. D. 
Teter, C. K. 
Thompson, W. H. 
Walker, John W. 
Wallace, H. D. 
Weadon, J. S. 
Webster, D. E. 
Wells, Ellsworth. 
Whitman, H. 
Whitney, C. A. 
Williams, D. M. 
Williams, J. W. 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 



30iJ 



COMPANY B. 

Captain Will S. White 

P^rst Lieutenant Frank L. Oyler 

Second Lieutenant William B. Hamill 

First Sergeant ^Villiam P. Stevenson 

Q. M. Sergeant Robert Swigert 

SERGEANTS. 

Frank G. Jacokes. Charles A. Hunt. 

Frank T. Ethell. Tilden T. Jones. 

CORPORALS. 

Charles E. Bolin. Joseph Davis. 

John M. Conti. Charles R. Wagner. 

S. Perry Capell. Edward H. Smith. 

Roy B. Shook. Frank E. V/illiams. 

Lewis M. Stevenson. Henry Kaiser. 

Joseph B. Clemens. Walter C. Stout. 

Artificer John W. Warman 

AVagoner Fred Buckingham 

Musician Herbert A. Miller 

PRIVATES. 

Arthur, Joseph. Loudenslager, Charles S. 

Angell, Edgar F. Long, Jacob F. 

Anderson, William M. Milligan, Elmer J. 

Butler, Wm. J. Morris, John C. 

Brown, James W. McDonald, James E. 

Brown, Olliver T. McDaniels, Charles H. 

Brown, Charles F. Morris, Edward F. 

Bold, Eber L. Nunamaker, Norman C. 

Bennett, Charles C. Noel, William J. 

Barr, Emory E. Osborn, David G. 

Cumminns, Henry R. O'Harra, Cornelius C. 

Coons, Jasper N. Robinson, Morton W. 



310 



TEE FOURTH 0. Y. I. 



Coss, Frank S. 
Cohn, William. 
Dally, Vincent L. 
Deuel, Joseph R. 
Dauterman, Frank C. 
Dakin, Perry E. 
Elder, Arlie. 
Farahay, William I. 
Gregory, Charles F. 
Green, Elmer E. 
Graham, Earl W. 
Grove, Frank E. 
Geis, Henry. 
Grube, Arthur F. 
Hedges, Robert L. 
Heiman, Simon. 
Hankee, Fred. 
Harper, Martin A. 
Harrison, Foster S. 
Handley, Moses E. 
Hopkins, Harry H. 
Hayward, Herbert. 
Ingraham, Robert B. 
Keyes, Edward, Jr. 
Kessie, John. 
Kessie, Fred C. 
Kuhn, George A. 
Lytle, Andrew G. 
Lane, Cory L. 



Steinel, Jacob. 
Shuflin, Harry W. 
Sines, James G. 
Stewart, Elmer E. 
Stoker, Jacob, jr. 
Shipley, Clarence J. 
Shirrey, Burrell M. 
Swiger, William S. 
Smith, Charles A. 
Sponsler, Charles E. 
Sperry, Henry C. 
Snyder, Frank. 
Smith, George B. 
Thompson, Robert C. 
Taylor, Ralph W. 
Thrush, Jesse. 
Trone, Wood. C. 
Van Gilder, Lewis H. 
Van Eaton, Albert H. 
Wolfel, Arthur. 
Watsek, Adam E. 
Woolard, Asa. 
White, Carey B. 
Walker, Arthur H. 
Wiley, William H. 
Willhide, Melvin B. 
Woodmansee, Charles M, 
Werner, Edward J. 
Williams, Joshua L. 



THE FOVRTE 0. Y. 



311 



COMPANY C. 

Captain Thomas R. Biddle 

Captain Arthur W. Reynolds 

First Lieutenant Arthur W. Reynolds 

First Lieutenant Frank A. Alexander 

Second Lieutenant Frank A. Alexander 

Second Lieutenant Edward M. Biddle 

First Sergeant Edward M. Biddle 

First Sergeant V.'illiam E. Stimmel 

Q. M. Sergeant Harry L. Barker 

SERGEANTS. 

Paul Armstrong. Marvel W. Bliss. 

S. Riley Harrod. Charles D. Rowland. 

Harry H. Nichols. 

CORPORALS. 

Benjamin F. Morris. Frank C. Biddle. 

Harry E. Eichorn. Richard A. Twaddel. 

Clinton C. Martin. Otto F. Cook. 

Charles F. Eastner. Henry T. Helwagen. 

Adam T. Renck. Edwin Steubenrauch. 

Charles O. Schoonoover. Edward M. Slemmons. 

Musicians Charles F. Bauer, Claude Putnam 

Artificer Lewis M. Carter 

Wagoner Samuel Ford 

PRIVATES. 

Athern, Clarence. Minnick, Robert T. 

Buehler, John W. Mann, Allen D. 

Baehr, George. Mayfield, Victor H. 

Baehr, Charles. Munk, Andrew J. 

Balsley, Lloyd W. Mugrage, Ed. 

Bierhalter, Joseph. McCoy, Lorin. ' 

Butler Arza A. McLeoid, Albert E. 



311 



TEE FOURTH O. V. I. 



Blackburn, Thomas F. 
Charles, William S. 
Cordner, John O. 
Crawford, John J. 
Cowley, Arthur. 
Corwin, John. 
Croninger, John. 
Dearth, Earnest. 
Dent, Joseph W. 
Dixson, Lovett T. 
Dubois, Edmond L. 
EJaston, Fred L. 
Fix, Charles W. 
Groves, William P. 
Hickey, Aaron. 
Haines, Harry L. 
Hesley, Frederick. 
Hook, John. 
Horlocker, Noble W. 
Haniwalt, John C. 
Hoover, Asa. 
Hampton, Wade. 
Ingersol, Charles G. 
Jones, William. 
Jones, Samuel T. 
Kreuz, Karl. 
Losch, Joseph. 
Lloyd, Charles O. 
Lioveland, Fred. 
Lewis, Frank B. 
Molloy, Theopholis. 
McFarland, Charles. 



McCalley, Hiram. 
McClurg, Charles B. 
Parsons, Arthur. 
Renck, Charles F. 
Rhodes, Simeon A. 
Roberts, Matthew S. 
Rodgers, James L. 
Ross, William. 
Rowe, William I. 
Spaith, Edwin Arthur. 
Shoemaker, Edward B. T. 
Stephens, Lorin. 
Smith, Benjamin. 
Smith, Jesse F. 
Smith, Carl F. 
Southcomb, Robert P. 
Steck, Henry J. 
Snead, James. 
Sullivan, John. 
Taylor, Charles K. 
Thomas, George. 
Thompson, Harry R. 
Vetter, John. 
Whip, Harry C. 
Wells, Ira E. 
Withers, Austin A. 
Wallets, Frank B. 
Watzek, Frank. 
\*ineman, Glenn G. 
Yearding, William T. 
Yost, William J. 



THE FOVRTU 0. V. 1. 



313 



COMPANY D. 

Captain Charles F. Sellers 

First Lieutenant J. Richard Turner 

Second Lieutenant Frank H. Otte 

Second Lieutenant Abe Newlove 

First Sergeant Abe Newlove 

First Sergeant Allen C. Edson 

Q. M. Sergeant Thomas J. Alexander 

Q. M. Sergeant George P. Zwerner 

SERGEANTS. 

Charles J. Greene. William R. Kennedy. 

Prank Mills. 

CORPORALS. 

Charles Orahood. Conrad Kirchner. 

William Johnson. Will Saygrover. 

Charles Ford. Joseph Mullen. 

Elijah A. Horr. Joseph Mills. 

Walter P. Gregg. Arthur H. Armine. 

Lewis Orahood. Elmer Hedges. 

Musicians F. Pearl Taylor, Bertram G. Marls 

Artificer John Lansdown 

Wagoner Anderson Williams 

PRIVATES. 

Armine, Harry G. Lyons, Charles. 

Anderson, Willis. Lee, Ell M. 

Alden, Eujean. Lower, Clifton. 

Andrews, Edward. Lee, James. 

Beaver, James N. Mitchell, Pearl. 

Beaver, Wassen. Mathers, Charles. 

Bartlett, William. Martin, Robert B. 

Blake, Layton. Maris, Harry. 

Bell, Joseph S. Mills, Charles. 



314 



THE FOURTH 0. T. I. 



Bradley, Frank C. 

Brake, Holly O. 

Bishop, Otto. 

Beck, James. 

Brown, Elmer. 

Connell, Edward. 

Conner, Thomas. 

Clapham, Frank. 

Converse, Harrj'. 

Clastic, George. 

Church, Edward. 

Dines, William L. 

Donohoe, Fred. 

Daugherty, Benjamin. 

Fisher, Victor. 

Gosnell, Otto. 

Greene, Huitt. 

Goff, Walter. 
Hush, George B. 
Hudson, Edward. 
Hensley, Delbert. 
Hinton, Mack. 
Holycross, Frank L. 
Hill, Samuel. 
Johnson, Alia. 
Johnson, Joe. 
Jones, Allen. 
Jones, John. 
Kees, Isaac. 
Lawrence, Joe. 
Laird, Charles M. 
Mullen, George. 



Moon, Spencer. 

Martin, William S. 

New^love, Lute. 

Nelson, Edward. 

Nelson Fred W. 

Otte, Lewis. 

Orr, Lee. 

Plotner, Bert. 

Perry, Charles A. 

Phelps, Earl. 

Rausch, Will. 

Randall, Edward. 

Sparks, Harry. 

Schlegel, George, Jr. 

Shetterly, Carson B. 

Shetterly, Joseph E. 

Smith, Albert. 

Shuler, John. 
Sloop, Artemus. 
Sheridan, Chester. 
Tway, Carl. 
Taylor, Harry W. 
Turner, Charles M. 
Tossey, Defro. 
Vaii, Reuben. 
Williams, William. 
Weber, Walter. 
Webb, Luther. 
Wise, William F. 
Walcut, William. 
Williams, Charles F. 



THE FOURTH 0. T. I. 



315- 



COMPANY E. 

Captain William L. Vincent 

First Lieutenant Charles O. Updyke 

Second Lieutenant James M. Fugaie 

First Sergeant Charles E. Stogdon 

Q. M. Sergeant Charles E. Jarnagin. 

SERGEANTS. 

Orestus Hardway. Charles L. Sexton. 

Lohn Gillum. Michael Daily. 

CORPORALS. 

Robert Bonham. John S. Reeder. 

Henry D. Faudree. John W. Cook. 

Lon Stevenson. Harvey W. Smith. 

L. S. Updyke. Frank Sammons. 

Herbert C. Marquett. Will S. Gray. 
Frank W. Potter. 

Musicians Odd F. Ott, William N. Eyre 

Artificer Eugene Conway 

Wagoner Charles Bitzer 

PRIVATES. 

Allebaugh, Alvin. Krebs, Adam. 

Armstrong, William C. Kunz, Charles. 

Baker, Morris O. Kidd, Chedister C. 

Bayse, W. H. Kneisley, Carey W. 

Bales John A. Marine, A. E. 

Bales, Howard. McCormick, Harvey. 

Bateman, Frank M. Mitchner, J. H. 

Beeler, John C. Mercer, Stew^art. 

Baker, Richard A. Murphy, Arthur L. 

Bellar, Milt. McCord, Elmer G. 

Brown, Americus. McDonald, James E. 

Butler, John H. McDonald, Norman* 



316 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 



Cook, James F., Jr. 
Coffman, Nathan J. 
Coffman, Elwert. 
Cook, Scott. 
Creamer, Michael S. 
Clemens, Ramie. 
Cubbage, Johnson. 
Dawson, Jacob H. 
Douglass, Ed. 
Doddridge, John A. 
Daniels, Tyra C. 
Davis, Isaac C. 
Dearth, Charles C. 
Doyle, Charles V7. 
Ely, Clyde B. 
Ervin, Floyd D. 
Ford, Franklin P. 
Figgins, Charles E. 
Flint, William E. 
Grass, John. 
Hardy, Andrew J. 
Kolcomb, Hartley C. 
Haffler, Harry P. 
Hall, Emory P. 
Harris, Harry A. 
Haynes, William N. 
Jacobs, Claude S. 
Johnson, John C. 
Johnson, Morgan B. 
Keaton, James W. 



Nixon, John T. 
Pratt, Robert. 
Palmer, Harry B. 
Pine, Ward. 
Pricer, Herbert L. 
Robb, John. 
Simms, French. 
Slonaker, Galard. 
Shingles, Arthur M. 
Smithers, Lynn F. 
Shimp, Burt 0. 
Snapp, Joseph E. 
Sams, William W. 
Sever, Frank. 
Smith Charles A. 
Smith Charles. 
Smith, Ed. 
Sollars, Emerald M. 
Taylor, Jerome. 
Vincent, Elmer. 
Vincent, Burten. 
Voss, Charles T. 
Walters, Elie W. 
"V\Tiited, Benjamin F. 
Wilt, Arthur W. 
Woods, George F. 
Wyatt, James H. 
West, Frank R. 
Wilson, William H., Jr. 
Welch, Homer G. 



THE FOURTH 0. T. I. 



317 



COMPANY F. 

Captain Joseph D. Potter 

First Lieutenant Clyde R. Modie 

First Lieutenant Harry Graham 

Second Lieutenant Nathan A. McCoy 

First Sergeant A. A. Grimm 

First Sergeant R. E. Hull 

First Sergeant George D. Freemaai 

Q. M. Sergeant Frank L. Thornton 

SERGEANTS. 

Arthur A. Grimm. William S. Haley. 

Richard E. Hull. Rowland Duulap. 

CORPORALS. 

Arthur H. Simons. Chester M. Spurgeon. 

Fred Wahl. Frank D. Potter. 

Moses H. Barlow. Charles F. Bowen. 

Earl C. Greenley, Walter J. Modie. 

Lewis F. Sage. John T. Seiders. 

David R. Sams. Jackson Westenhaver. 

William P. Markeson. Alfred Chapin. 

Musicians John Keith, Wm Crawford, Lewis Anderson 

Artificer Horatio C. Prittner 

Wagoner George Stonebemer 

PRIVATES. 

Barnes, Robert. Lydy, Sam J. 

Bear, Edmond. Meeker, William D. 

Blakely, Worley S. Meninngen, William P. 

Butler, Ray. Merrick, Medford. 

Creviston, Lark. Morris, John C. 

Corson, William. Michel, Robert. 

Carroll, John. Miller, Webb. 

Chapin, Albert. McCormick, P. C. 



318 



THE FOURTH 0. T. I. 



Cromwell, W. E. 
Cross, Fred J. 
Dennis, Leroy G. 
Dixon, Herbert D. 
Doke, Arthur H. 
Fitzgerald, Edwin. 
Gibbons, John. 
Oilliam, E. F. 
Grate, Frank. 
Grove, Charles O. 
Gynter, Albert. 
Giles, Frank M. 
Gray, Meldrum. 
Hess, Edward. 
Hess, R. C. 
Handley, Scott. 
Hemming, R. N. 
Hilf, Charles F. 
Hill, Clyde W. 
Holmes, Martin. 
Holmes, Thomas. 
Ismon, Ralph E. 
Jones, William R. 
Jones, Thomas J. 
Kellar, John A. 
Kerr, Edward C. 
Kight, Thomas H. 
Kirkpatrich, Warden. 
Kneeland, Arthur R. 
Kriel, George. 
Lang, Edward J. 
McElvane, J. R. 



McKenzie, W. A. 
Osborn, Clyde W. 
Palm, James. 
Paraday, Charles. 
Petry, August. 
Putman, Charley. 
Preston, William B. 
Ranney, Jess F. 
Reynolds, C. B. 
Robbins, Ralph. 
Rodgers, J. E. 
Riddlesberger, William. 
Roberts, Charles. 
Rhoades, Lawrence. 
Schrock, Fred C. 
Shipley, Fred F. 
Sharp, Howard. 
Smith, Ralph. 
Snyder, John M. 
Snyder, Edward F. 
Staley, Edward. 
Simms, Edwin M. 
Shaw, Leroy. 
Sharp, J. R. 
Sharp, Birdsell. 
Taylor, Frank L. 
Taylor, Thomas E., Jr. 
Tucker, Albert E. 
Ulry, Fred. 
Williamson, H. W. 
Yourk, Mike. 



THE FOURTH 0. F. /. 



319 



COMPANY G. 

Captain Fred W. Petera 

First Lieutenant Fred S. Titus 

.Second Lieutenant Thomas E. Andrews 

First Sergeant James E. Messenger 

Q. M. Sergeant Frank E. Lattimore 

SERGEANTS. 

Zed. E. Gunder. Charles R. Lattimore. 

James W. McMurray. George E. Irvin. 

CORPORALS. 

Will H. Hunt. Wesley C. Winters. 

E:arnest Boger. William F. Amrine. 

Nathaniel J. Clapper. Frank L. Jordan. 

F. Charles Stump. John E. Button. 

Newberry W. Wheeler. Omie J. P. Ward. 

Frank C. Stevenson. Charles F. Copeland. 
William E. Cleveland. 

Musicians Hary T. Love, John F. Snid«r 

Artificer Robert L. Rathell 

Wagoner Harry T. Messenger 

PRIVATES. 

Alexander, Arthur G. Maag, William A. 

Anderson, Neal. MacFadden, Edward S. 

Akron, Pearl C. Madden, John W. 

Berry, Frank C. Marlow, George. 

Beichler, Albert. Mayes, Edson C. 

Bryan, Harry E. McConnell, Charles. 

Burk, James H. Minard, Daniel. 

Carey, Howard E. Monnette, Arthur A. 

Carroll, Harry G. Midlam, Carl O. 

Chapman, Ross. Mong, Yv^illiam C. 

Couts, James H. Niles, William T. 



320 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 



Clark, Robert B. 
Close, James W. 
Coleman, Rant R. 
Comwell, William P. 
Cnssick, James M. 
Day, Lewis E. 
Doke, Henry C. 
Edwards, Charles F. 
Elliott, Ulysses G. 
Evans, Edward C. 
Evans, w illiam. 
Ferrell, Hershel C. 
Ferrin, Guy T. 
Fields, Harry H. 
French, Arthur J. 
Glaze, Charles W. 
Hessong, Charles H. 
Hill, Josh. W. 
Hinklin, Howard A. 
Houseworth, Charles P. 
Howison, Lee. 
Hubley, Marion E. 
Hull, Hollis. 
Hull, Zane. 
Irey, Harley O. 
Johnson, William. 
Luethold, Alfred S. 
Little, Frank M. 



O'Brian, Thomas J. 
Parker, John. 
Padgett, Frank 0. 
Pierce, Daniel B. 
Porter, Henry N. 
Purkey, George A. 
Prlndle, James W. 
Rease, Joseph. 
Rhoades, Harry. 
Riddle, William W. 
Sharrock, James. 
ShaJBfer, Frank E. 
Scott, John W. 
Shuster, George. 
Smith, Marion. 
Smith, Albert S. 
Smith, William G. 
Snider, Charles M. 
Simpson, Walter W. 
Spring, Harry L. 
Stone, William. 
Swallen, Harvey. 
Taugher, Michael. 
Thomas, Lloyd W. 
Thompson, Robert L. 
Wickess, John L. 
Wolfe, Finlay. 
Wilson, John R. 



THE FOURTH 0. V. 1. 



321 



COMPANY H. 

Captain Robert S. Pritcliard 

Captain James W. Smith 

First Lieutenant Frank B. Pratt 

First Lieutenant James W. Smith 

First Lieutenant Kinney P. Funk 

Second Lieutenant James W. Smith 

Second Lieutenant Kinney P. Funk 

First Sergeant Forrest C. Briggs 

First Sergeant Russell C. Newman 

Q. M. Sergeant Charles C. Wilhelm 

SERGEANTS. 

Andrew B. Foster. Walter H. Trimmer. 

Samuel Williams. George G. Oldfield. 

CORPORALS. 

Charles H. Maguire. Joseph C. Bratt. 

Harvey M. Will. Charles N. Reed. 

Denver Crull. George A. Batterson. 

Asberry W. Davidson. John L. McMonigle. 

Byron D. Shriver. William P. Reed. 

Charles S. Noel. Floyd E. Thurman. 

Artificer Roy N. Matthews 

Musician Fred N. Armstrong 

Wagoner William D. McMonigle 

PRIVATES. 

Alger, Barry J. Kinney, Clifford M. 

Alger, Frank H. Kelley, William H. 

Anderson, Preston H. Krick, Isaac. 

Adams, Harry E. Nohl, Harry N. 

Andre, Benjamin. Masters, William A. 

Bybee, Monte G. Mann, George F. 

Barber, Albert M. Moore, George B. 



322 



THE FOURTH 0. V. 1. 



Bumgardner, Elton M. 
Bush, Francis M. 
Bush, Thomas J. 
Bush, Matthew. 
Boren, Elmer S. 
Barr, Charles. 
Bennet, David P. 
Birmingham, John. 
Calvert, Ralph W. 
Cooper, Milton J. 
Cole, William L. 
Chapman, Tasw^ell. 
Cunningham, Vinton A. 
Davidson, Reed M. 
Distel, Louis E. 
Donaldson, Harry W. 
Douglass, Duncan M. 
Davis, David C. 
Dodge, Daniel H. 
Evans, Mitchell H. 
George, Robert M. 
Gilbert, Ora B. 
Hicks, Edward B. 
Herms, Albert G. 
Hubert, John A. 
Hood, Charles E. 
Harris, Evan G. 
Johnson, David J. 
Johnson, Samuel E. 
Johnson, William E. 
Jones, Wells H. 
Kinney, John Wesley. 



Messer, Alfred M. 
Mathiott, Harry W. 
Monk, John E. 
Molester, Charles G. 
Mead, Alexander R. 
McKeown, Emmet K. 
McGuire, Edward M. 
McDaniels, James. 
Morrison, Henry M. 
Patterson, Elbert L. 
Peebles, William M. 
Redmon, Joseph A. 
Reinert, Adolph G. 
Reinhardt, Euward J. 
Sturgill, William C. 
Stewart, James F. 
Stowe, Walter H. 
Skelton, James. 
Shela, John W. 
Schmidt, John F. 
Sparka, Kurt. 
Thompson, Matthew W. 
Taylor, Charles C. 
Thomas, William E. 
Turner, Joseph. 
Wells, Edward S. 
Whitman, Charles R. 
Welch, Arthur. 
Wheeler, x^dgar R. 
Winters, Henry H. 
Youngman, John. 
Zeek, Edward. 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 



323 



COMPANY I. 

Captain Louis H. Palmer 

First Lieutenant Fred S. Whiley 

Second Lieutenant William H. Hause 

First Sergeant William S. Kindler 

Q. M. Sergeant Roy T. McNaughten 

SERGEANTS. 

Thomas W. Nickum. Frank M. Murpuy. 

John E. rhomas. Gaylord C. Peters. 

CORPORALS. 

Seymore E. Hansley. Ernest I. Curtiss. 

John W. Littrell. Charles Fishbaugh. 

Arthur J. Phillips. Henry C. Clark. 

Hugh S. Love. Warren A. Lowry. 

Herman L. Wagner. Nelson E. Terry. 

Frank E. Beery. George L. Justice. 

Musicians Oscar D. Getz, Irving A. Cook 

Wagoner William E. Neal 

Artificer Samuel L. Bush 

PRIVATES. 



Arnold, Jesse W. 
Amann, Augustus M. 
Buckley, William J. 
Bope, Charles B. 
Brainard, Will J. 
Bentrol, Charles F. 
Bulger, John. 
Black, Harry B. 
Bobbitt, David. 
Botts, James E. 
Ballard, James M. 
Balthaser, Chauncey E. 



Mertz, Jacob J. 
McSweeney, James I 
McLain, Clifford C. 
Moore, Charles R. 
Mauk, Arthur R. 
Morton, Robert R. 
Miller, John M. 
McCray, Andrew L. 
Nisley, Harry J. 
Nisley, Joseph W. 
Nye, Charles E. 
Proctor, Harry E. 



324 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 



Basore, William H. 

Clifton, George. 

Cook, Walter. 

Dyarman, Charles T. 

Dupler, Murray C. 

Derr, Charles E. 

Dew, Stanley J. 

Dille, Willis. 

England, Benjamin T. 

Flood, William H. 

Foster, John H. 

Green, Lester O. 

Greentree, James. 

Gebhardt, William H. 

Gantz, John G. 
Gyr, Harry. 
Griner, James R. 
Goodyear, Charles. 
Herman, Henry. 
Hite, Joseph A. 
Jeffries, George T. 
Keller, James O. 
Keller, William U. 
Keller, Harry 0. 
Kernes, David. 
Knotts, Charles. 
Lape, Theodore I. 
Leeper, Charles L. 
Light, James G. 
Potter, Jesse N. 



rrentice, George H. 

Paskins, James H. 

Patterson, Tecumseh B. 

Robinson, Amosa W. 

Robinson, Robert B. 

Reynolds, George E. 

Roskovemckey, Lewis S. 

Reed, Charles G. 

Rossley, Charles E. 

Reese, Edward A. 

Spitler, David L. 

Spitler, Pearl D. 

Spitler, Earl <g. 

beifert, Abe. 

Shaw, Robert. 

Straley, James. 

Stewart, Frank L. 

Shue, Frank E. 
Sprague, James W. 
Terry, George T. 
Todhunter, Reese B. 
Todhunter, George B. 
Tipple. David E. 
White, John E. 
Williams, Howard A. 
Walters, Perry. 
Wolfe, Royal. 
Yingling, Sherman. 
Zimmerman, John D. 



TEE FOURTH 0. V. I. 



325 



COMPANY K. 

Captain Bert H. Greiner 

First Lieutenant William B. McCloud 

Second Lieutenajit Oscar O. Koeppel 

First Sergeant W. L. Norton 

Q. M. Sergeant George A. Griebel 

SERGEANTS. 

Charles Riddle. H. A. Cosier. 

Frank M. Said. Carl T. Cratty. 

CORPORALS. 

Lq. O. Thomson. Elbert Nelson. 

Earl Sheldon. A. Kent Harmount. 

Merton S. Starr. Sturges Dunham. 

Charles Thrall. Orrain W. Patrick. 

Ray H. Longwell. Robert H. Lybrand. 

Llysses G. Sanger. Lester C. Riddle. 
Thomas Glaze. 

Musicians J Shultz, John Longwell 

Artificer Charles L. Inscho 

Wagoner L. R. Spain 

PRIVATES. 

Auman, John. Lynch, J. 

Ahern, Patrick. Lawson, C. E. 

Bennett, J. F. Marritt, J. M. 

Brownmiller, C. R. Miller, C. C. 

Brunn, C. H. Miller, H. A. 

Browning, S. W. Montane, C. B. 

Billig, C. E. Maloney, J. 

Butt, A. M. Maloney, C. H. 

Campbell, H. R. Maine, C. A. 

Cruikshank, A. Mahonay, M. C. 

Corbin, Richard. McFarland, F. A. 



326 



THE FOURTH 0. V. 



Doyle, J. P. 
Driscoll, T. J. 
Dall, C. K. 
Davis, H. W. 
Dove, T. C. 
Enright, F. H. 
Ford, W. R. 
France, C. O. 
Frantz, Walter. 
Ferris, W. M. 
Foley, W. J. 
Gerber, Max. 
Greiner, J. R. 
Grove, T. S. 
Harmount, H. W. 
Hills, L. C. 
Howald, W. A. 
Hodges, S. M. 
Hansley, E. D. 
Hollison, W. 
Hunt, H. E. 
Ingle, W. W. 
Inscho, A. D. 
Jones, C. L. 
Jamison, F. B. 
Jacobus, H. C. 
Kelley, J. L. 
Lenhart, L. 
Lyons, J. 
O'Connor, J. 



O'Bryan, P. 
Osborne, B. 
Powell, H. B. 
Platz, G. 
Rose, H. E. 
Riddle, R. R. 
Reed, W. 
Read, R. W. 
Rider, W. R. 
Randolph, D. F. 
Rodenfels, Edward. 
Ross, T. 
Siegfried, John. 
Smith, William L. 
Strohm, G. 
Said, T. H. 
Schneider, B. J. 
Shank, J. W. 
Thrall, G. W. 
Vertner, A. L. 
Watkins, F. S. 
Wells, Rex. W. 
Windham, R. H. 
Vvohlheater, W. Z. 
Wells, Charles. 
Wohlheater, E. F. 
Webster, Olliver Perry. 
Whitlinger, Henry. 
Zeigler, Frank. 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 



327 



COMPANY L. 

Captain Fred M. French 

First Lieutenant Charles E. Bigler 

Second Lieutenant Sherman E. Ward 

First Sergeant Earl F. Thuma 

Q. M. Sergeant Edwin J. Scott 

SERGEANTS. 

George D. Lewis. Burr A. Wyant. 

James H. Graff. Robert H. Westlake. 

CORPORALS. 

Carrol R. Jackson. William M. Edwards. 

John J. Jacobs. Elbert L. Mendenhall. 

J. Louis Ewalt. John K. Davis. 

Scott U. Kirby. D. Horton White. 

Oscar Adams. Harry L. Thuma. 
Edwin J. Myers. 

Musicians Charles W. Wood, Lewis Herrod 

Artificer William Gregory 

Wagoner Harry M. Jacobus 

PRIVATES. 

Armentrout. L. Vance. Lambert, Philip J. 

Ashton, Walter G. Loback, Frank B. 

Adams, Oscar. Lockwood, Charles D. 

Barber, Fred. Lane, George M. 

Braddock, John S. Lee, John T. 

Bishop, Anson. Loose, Jacob L. 

Baughman, Edward L. Long, Wilson G. 

Brentlinger, Clyde L. McMahon, Ralph. 

Banbury, Charles K. McConnell, William. 

Bigler, Arthur L. McKeown, Andrew J. 

Bigler, Eugene F. Mitchell, Leon H. 

Barnhart, Cyrus. Morey, Roy C. 



328 



TEE FOURTH 0. V. I. 



Bucher, George K. 
Critchfield, Jesse B. 
Clark, William H. 
Clark, Michael P. 
Chrisman, Arthur. 
Copper, Charles 0. 
Cochran, Ward B. 
Coile, one E. 
Channell, Charles H. 
Cochran, John M. 
Cochran, Walter. 
Daniels, William L. 
Dunlap, William C. 
Dickson, James F., Jr. 
Davis, Jacie J. 
Davis, Charles E. 
Edwards, William I. 
Gingham, Harry L. 
Graff, George. 
Hersh, Sherbin J. 
Harris, Walter M. 
Houle, Louis F. 
Harker, William. 
Hutchinsin, Charles. 
Hayes, James M. 
Heddington, John L. 
Hissong, John R. 
Kinney, John D. 
Long, Daniel V. 
Magill, John S. 



Osborn, Timothy G. 
Perrin, Charles. 
Porter, Orrin C. 
Rowley, Byron D. 
Rowley, William. 
Robinson, Williard. 
Simco, Edward. 
Smalle, James A. 
Stoyle, Edward. 
Shetler, Walter S. 
Smith, Oliver H. 
Sapp, Frank W. 
Simpson, Ottis A. 
Sherman, Rupert L. 
Tighe, William F. 
Vernon, Walter C. 
White, Edgar J. 
Williams, Harry. 
Wagner, Fred F. 
Waite, Ralph. 
Waldruff, Ellis F. 
Wright, Frank D. 
Welshymer, Charles B. 
Weider, William F. 
Wolfe, Fred W. 
Wood, Herbert C. 
Whitney, William M. 
Wade, Bruce M. 
Wright, Clinton. 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 



329 



COMPANY M. 

fetain Burr J. Bostwlck 

First Lieutenant Charles G. Duffy 

Second Lieutenant George Florence 

First Sergeant Charles K. Crumm 

Q. M. Sergeant S. J. Henry 

SERGEANTS. 

Charles F. Lowe. B. Frank Warner. 

Charles A. Bostwick. Bradley Fletcher. 

CORPORALS. 

Harry L. Hughes. John Kashner. 

J. Mouser Crayne. Ed. M. Brown. 

Leroy M. Thompson. Charles M. Titus. 

William B. Reeder. George Redman. 

Arlow T. Mowery. \villiam A. Warner. 

Fred Donelly. Marshall E. Murray. 

Musicians Frank Miller, John DoyU 

Artificer George Brady 

Wagoner James Baughman 

PRIVATES. 

Ambrose. William. Lape, William. 

Anderson, J. Hartley. Lewis, Leotus. 

Baer, Henry C. Lower, William. 

Bagby, Arthur P. Mackey, Will L. 

Bailey, John. McCready, John W. 

Baker, John L. McHale, Thomas. 

Bales, Blenn R. McKenzie, David. 

Barker, William J, McQuaide, John. 

Baughman, Joseph. Miller, Jacob W. 

Bennett, Ed. F. Montgomery, Ed. W. 

Bowsher, William B. Mowery, Clifford E. 

Brannon. Charles. Moyer, Harley E. 



330 



THE FOURTH 0. V. I. 



Brown, Nathan J. 
Bessert, Wayne. 
Byers, Joseph. 
Caldwell, Job. D. 
Collopy, James J. 
Cook, George B. 
Chrlssinger, Frank. 
Crites, Clifford W. 
Dimkle, Floyd L. 
Edgington, George C 
Egan, Hugh, Jr. 
Evans, David J. 
Fisher, William. 
Flemming, Robert. 
Forsythe, Bert. 
Friley, Charles. 
Haines, George L. 
Hernstine, Philip G. 
Hitson, John R. 
Highes, Clarence H. 
Hurst, William F. 
Irwin, George G. 
Jack, Thomas B. 
Jack, William F. 
Jackson, Albert. 
Johnson, Miner N. 
Kerns, James W. 
Kinney, Daniel. 
Klneey, Samuel. 



Murphy, Clark. 
Meeker, John. 
Neff, Morton A. 
Newland, George F 
Palm, Joseph. 
Rayborn, David. 
Reigle, Pearl E. 
Roof, Charles E. 
Russel, Charles E. 
Sells, George W. 
Shaffer, Samuel. 
Shaffer, Walter. 
Smith, Charles E. 
Smith, George W. 
Spangler, Samuel. 
Spiers, James E. 
Steepleton, James I 
Strawser, Harry. 
Tatman, Edward. 
Taylor, Edward. 
Thorn, Fred H. 
Walker, Ed. I. 
Withrow, Gordon E. 
Wolfe, Homer E. 
Wright, George F. 
Wright, Homer A. 
Wright, Porter E. 
Wilson, Jacob F. 
Yowell, Harrj'- 



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